


Matchmaker

by LoveStoryFanatic



Series: The Matchmaker series [1]
Category: Supernatural
Genre: Abusive John Winchester, Alternate Universe - Bar/Pub, Comedy, F/M, Family, Flashbacks, Friendship/Love, Geeks, Getting to Know Each Other, Hospitals, M/M, Matchmaking, Moose, Plotting, Romance, Stanford University, Surprises, Violence, relationships, team effort
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-10-24
Updated: 2016-02-27
Packaged: 2017-12-30 08:27:22
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 15
Words: 72,237
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1016370
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LoveStoryFanatic/pseuds/LoveStoryFanatic
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>AU: Dean owns a bar called The Roadhouse Bar & Grille near where Sam's going to Stanford. They found their own little family, but it's about to get bigger. Dean decides he needs to hire a new bartender. After a while, the new bartender decides to give himself the title of Matchmaker.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Wincestrial Love, Sweet tooth, & Geeks

**Author's Note:**

> Okay, soo...I've had the idea for this story for a while now. I couldn't take it anymore and decided to give it a shot. I hope you like it!! Oh..and I'm just going to throw this out there that I am a pro-destiel person. Just thought I'd say that in case there is some confusion later in the chapter. Thanks!

**Chapter 1**

The Roadhouse Bar & Grille. It was the name of the bar Dean Winchester owned. It was his pride and joy, apart from his little brother Sammy, of course. He’d bought the building when it was nothing but studs and had built it from the inside out. He’d given the place his own touch. It was his home away from home.

Dean and Sam had moved from their hometown of Lawrence, Kansas a few years ago when Sam had graduated from high school and been accepted into Stanford. While Sam lived in a dorm on campus, Dean lived in a small house he rented in Mountain View, California. It wasn’t much, but it gave him space, privacy, and it was close to the bar.

When he’d put out advertisements looking for employees, he hit the jackpot. He found people who soon became his family. There was Ellen, the mother of the group. She worked most days and some nights, depending on the schedule and what needed to be done. Jo, Ellen’s daughter, was the waitress. She was like a little sister to Dean. There was Ash who did the books. He called himself Dr. Badass and Dean swore he lived twenty years in the past due to his mullet and fashion sense. They also had Benny. He was the cook, the new addition to their family. Dean had hired him a couple of months previous and the two men were already practically brothers.

Recently, Dean had been overworking himself. He would push himself to his absolute limits. The Roadhouse was quite popular and they only had him and Ellen to work behind the bar. Dean worked every night of the week for months. He would also come in earlier than needed to make sure everything was good to go for that night. He didn’t get much sleep, living on an average of four hours per night, sometimes less. He’d gotten into the habit of passing out on a small couch he had in his office instead of going home after the bar was closed and cleaned.

He’d gotten away with it for two weeks before Ellen had caught him and forced him to go home for a proper night’s sleep. Ever since then, all of them, including Sam and Bobby, Ellen’s husband, had been trying to convince him to put out another ad and hire a bartender. They were too short staffed to remain the way they were. Dean was worried to bring in someone else, an outsider into their family, but he didn’t tell them that. They’d tried bringing in people before, but it never ended well. There had been Uriel, a frat kid who would sell to minors and almost got Dean into some serious trouble. There was Zach, a know-it-all who would frequently scare away customers. He’d almost single-handedly driven Dean out of business. Then there was a guy named Lucifer…Well, that was Sam’s nickname for him. His real name was Mark. He had started to stalk Sam. At first it hadn’t been anything real serious, nothing to worry about. Then Mark started showing up at Stanford unannounced. He would frequently call and text Sam, no matter the time of day. He even showed up at his dorm room several times. No matter what Sam did to tell the guy he wasn’t interested, Mark just didn’t get it.

Dean hadn’t been aware of the issue for the first month it was going on. He’d been too focused on the bar, making sure everything was going smoothly. And, to be frank, the two brothers didn’t get a lot of time to see each other until Sam turned twenty-one. When Dean found out about the stalking issue, he’d pulled Mark aside and told him that if he didn’t leave his brother alone he’d have to let him go. That was that. The stalking stopped for a couple of days, long enough for Sam to relax. That’s when the threats came. Sam started receiving letters under his door, calls from a blocked number, texts from a number he didn’t recognize. He hadn’t seen the point in alerting Dean, he thought he could handle it. One night, Sam stayed over at Dean’s house as he frequently did on the weekends. His phone constantly went off while he was asleep, so Dean checked it to make sure it wasn’t anything important. Dean found the threatening messages, the warnings. He never was a morning person, but that morning they all swear it was like watching a mama bear get provoked with a young cub: not pretty.

Dean waited until Sam got up, reading each text, getting angrier and angrier. He’d called Jo over to help him wrap his mind around it. When she’d shown up and seen how angry he was, she called in reinforcements. She’d called Ellen, Bobby, and Benny to Dean’s house to help calm things down, hoping with most of the family there it wouldn’t be a complete disaster.

Dean had shown them all the texts, all the threats, the warnings. They understood why he was upset. So, they waited for Sam to wake up. When he did, he was confronted for not telling anyone about the texts. Sam saw the worry and the hurt in Dean’s eyes and immediately regretted it. He’d only hid it because Dean had enough on his plate, but that’s what big brothers are for. Of course, Dean made him report the threats and they later found out that it had been Mark who was sending them from a new phone. Sufficed to say, he no longer had a job and there was a restraining order put on him.

That was the last time Dean had ever hired anyone new. That was also why it was a challenge getting him to put up an ad. Eventually, it worked. With enough pushing, nagging, long hours, sleepless nights, it finally broke through Dean’s wall of stubbornness and he relented. So, that’s where we are now. Dean received several applications and had sifted through them one day before the bar had any customers.

 

Dean was sitting in a booth, eating his lunch flipping through applications. He’d been meaning to look them over for a couple of days, but it’d been busy. This was the first chance he’d had. Benny was cleaning the grill for later and Jo was reading a book since they had no customers.

Jo looked up once she finished a chapter and her eyes shifted over to Dean. He was eating a fry and reading over an application. “Hey, Dean! Got any good ones yet?”

He nodded absently. “Maybe.”

She stood from her spot at the bar and walked over to his booth, plopping down on the other side. “You know, they don’t have to be perfect. And besides, you’re going to interview them anyway before you hire them. Just pick some and call them in.”

Dean sighed, running a hand over his face. “Fine. There are three that I’ll even consider hiring. One guy and two chicks. Charlie Bradbury, Gabriel Coleman, and Becky Rosen. Their applications look good. We’ll have to see what their interviews are like.”

A smile appeared on her face. “Awesome! Call them! Set up times! But make sure I’m here. I want to meet them.”

Dean rolled his eyes as he pulled out his phone. He got to work on setting up interview times for each of them. The first one was Becky’s and it was in one hour.

“Okay. You have one hour before she shows up. Get to work and make this place presentable, would ya?”

She raised an eyebrow at him. “Dean. This place is presentable. It’s practically spotless. There have been hardly any customers so far today so there hasn’t exactly been too many messes to clean up.”

Dean shook his head before gathering up the applications, his plate, and beer. “Yeah. Okay, well, I’ll be in my office so when she shows up, bring her back.”

He stood and walked into the kitchen where he deposited his plate before heading into his office. He tidied up some, made it look presentable. Truth was, he didn’t use his office that much besides when he slept and when Ash did the books. He left it open for them to leave stuff in there in case they didn’t want to carry something around all night. Benny frequently left his wallet in there as well as his motorcycle helmet and gloves. Occasionally, Bobby would come in and use the internet for some kind of research. Dean never asked and Bobby never told.

He still had a good fifteen minutes before she was due to show up, so he pulled out his phone and called Sam. It rang a few times before his little brother’s voice came over the line.

“Hey, Dean, what’s up?”

“Not a whole lot. Just killing time before someone comes in for an interview.”

“Interview? You finally sat down and looked over those apps? Any good ones pop out?”

Dean glanced over at the three he’d selected. “Yeah, three of them. Charlie Bradbury, Becky Rosen, and Gabriel Coleman. Any of them sound familiar?”

There was a moment of silence as Sam seemed to think about the names. “The name Gabriel sounds familiar, but I can’t think of where I heard it from. But I have no idea on the other two. How many are you hiring? Just the one or are you going for two?”

“I have no idea. It depends on how the interviews go, I guess. I’m probably only hiring one, but…Jo kindly pointed out to me earlier that she’s the only waitress. So, we’ll see how things go, I guess.”

“Yeah. Another waitress couldn’t hurt. Jo’s doing pretty damn good by herself, but…she does get pretty stressed out most nights when it gets hectic. You may save her some premature grey hairs.”

Dean chuckled, “Well, in that case, I’ll let her suck it up. Hey, speaking of, are you going to be stopping by today?”

“Yeah, I’ll be there in about fourty-five minutes. I’m waiting for the bus now.”

Dean nodded, “Awesome. Well, maybe you’ll catch a peak of the first girl. It’s almost time for her to be showing up, so I’ll let you go. I’ll see you soon, Sammy.”

He hung up the phone without waiting to hear his brother’s response. He opened his laptop and brought up the budget for the month. He looked it over, making mental notes of his limits for the month. He’d completely engrossed himself in the budget, he didn’t hear Jo walk in.

“Dean?”

His head snapped up and he noticed that Jo was standing there with someone behind him. “Sorry, wasn’t paying attention.”

She rolled her eyes before stepping aside, ushering someone in. “Dean, this is Becky Rosen. Becky, this is the boss, Dean Winchester.”

Dean stood and extended his hand. They shook and he smiled politely. “Nice to meet you.”

She seemed like a nice young girl. Nothing popped out at Dean immediately, but there was still time.

Jo left the office, closing the door behind her. Dean knew that she was standing right outside the door with Benny listening to the interview.

“So, Becky, what kind of position are you looking for?”

She smiled sweetly at him. “Waitress would be fine, but I’m open for anything.” She sent a wink his way and he gulped. He already didn’t like where this was going. He sat up straight and folded his hands together on the desk.

“What is your schedule like?”

“I’m free anytime you need me.”

Dean nodded, “Okay. Well, for waitressing I’m only looking for someone for part-time. It would mainly be for the weekends, special events, and a couple of nights during the week. It wouldn’t be too many hours.”

She nodded, her smile growing. “That’s perfectly fine! You see, that gives me plenty of time for my writing.”

Dean smiled softly. “You’re a writer?”

She nodded frantically. “Oh, yes. I write all the time. My goal is to be an author and I know I will be soon. I can just feel it. My ex-boyfriend is a published author, so he gave me some pointers.”

Dean nodded, trying to seem interested and bring out her character, so who she really was. “Awesome. What kind of stuff do you write?”

“Oh, you know. I mainly write fanfiction. I write about these two brothers who are on this road trip across the country. They fight monsters and demons and save the world all the time. They’re not recognized though, no one knows all the good they do for the world besides their family and the other hunters like them. Of course, everyone they know dies inevitably, so it has a lot of bromance and tears. It’s a lot of fun to write. But it’s not as much fun to write as when they go back to their motel room after a long, tiring hunt, slam each other against the wall, and make them theirs. It’s so passionate! The love they have for each other is so inspiring. It truly is a better love story than Twilight, I don’t care what anyone says! But then…there’s this angel, right? He saves the older brother from Hell and then he decides to stick around. He gets in between the two brothers and makes the older one fall for him. I mean, really? How pathetic is that. They belong with each other, not him with this angel dude. It’s called Wincest for a reason!”

“I’m sorry, Win-Wincest?”

Becky kept rambling as if she hadn’t heard him. “I mean, really! They belong together, right? They’ve known each other their whole lives! The older brother practically raised his little brother after their mom died when a demon roasted her on the ceiling! And their dad…well…their dad went all big and bad hunter, so the older brother was a single parent. But, I’m getting off-track here. The younger brother gets tired of the angel, so he slams his brother against the wall and presses his lips to his neck, trailing hot kisses all the way down as he’s ripping his brothers clothes off of him, trying to make him forget about the angel. So, the angel makes the older brother fall in love with him and then they get together. Well, not right away. Over the course of a few years they go back and forth with their feelings and hurting each other and all that, while the two brothers are also hurting each other. The poor little brother…he didn’t ask for any of this…he just wants someone to love him. But…in the end the angel wins and they get together. They fall in love and yada yada yada. The little brother is left alone which is wrong. They fell in love first. They belong together! Am I right?”

Dean sat there staring at her, his lips parted slightly. He wasn’t exactly sure what to say. “They’re brothers? In love?”

Becky nodded enthusiastically, “Yep! They belong together!”

Dean nodded slowly. “Yeah, okay. Well, I think I’ve got all that I need. I have two other people coming in for an interview. I’ll give you a call in the next couple of days to let you know the status of your application.”

Becky’s smile brightened. “Awesome! Thank you so much, Dean! I’m looking forward to hearing from you!”

Dean nodded and stood to walk her out. “Yeah. Me too.”

They walked out of the office and Dean saw Benny and Jo giggling over by the grill uncontrollably. His suspicions were confirmed that they’d been listening to the interview. He walked her out into the bar. The door opened and Sam walked in, his book bag thrown over his shoulder. Dean heard Becky suck in a breath and almost groaned.

Sam smiled at him and walked closer. Dean grimaced. “Becky, this is my brother, Sam. Sam, this is Becky.”

Sam stuck his hand out to shake hers and Dean could have sworn she was about to faint when their hands touched. He didn’t think he’d ever seen a smile so wide. _It looks like she fell asleep with a coat hanger in her mouth…_

“Sam…it is so nice to meet you! I hope to be seeing you again soon!”

Sam’s smile became somewhat forced and he nodded politely. “Yeah, um, same here.”

Becky fluttered her eyelashes at Sam and Dean could have sworn the look she was giving him was rated R. Dean gently moved Becky towards the door. She turned around and smiled at him. “Thank you, Dean. I’ll be waiting for your call.”

She looked around him and sent a completely unsubtle wink at Sam before turning and leaving. As soon as the door was closed, Dean turned around and scrunched up his face. “I feel dirty…”

Sam’s eyebrow rose, but before he could ask, Jo and Benny stumbled into the bar laughing their asses off. Jo was the first one to be able to speak. “Oh my goodness, Dean! That was the best thing ever!”

Dean gagged. “Tonight I’m going to bathe in Purell. You two missed the sultry bedroom eyes she was throwing at Gigantore here. I felt like I was in the middle of a bad porno.”

Sam shook his head in confusion, “What in the hell happened?”

Benny spoke up before Dean could. “The whole interview she talked about two brothers having passionate sex and how an angel was breaking them apart, forcing the older brother to love him instead. She called it Wincest!”

Sam’s lips parted in confusion and he looked at Dean. Dean shook his head. “Don’t say it. Don’t even think it. I never want to think about that interview. Ever again.”

He shook his head as he reached around the bar and grabbed a beer. He needed one after going through that. “If the next two are as bad as her…I’m making Jo take over the interviewing process.”

Jo stopped laughing and stared at him. “You want me to interview more people like her? Nope. Not happening.”

Dean smirked. “Oh, now it’s not so funny, is it?”

She glared at him before shoving Benny back into the kitchen, probably to laugh some more about the interview. Dean turned to Sam before taking a long pull from his beer. “How was school, Sammy?”

Sam nodded, sitting down on a stool. “Good. Classes got out early because some kid pulled the fire alarm as some kind of joke. I’m pretty sure he got arrested or something. So, when’s the next interview?”

Dean looked down at his watch. “He should be here in about a few minutes.”

He finished off his beer and walked around the bar to throw it away. He leaned against the counter, facing Sam. “If he works out, I might have him start tonight. It should be slow where I can teach him the ropes.”

Sam nodded, pulling out his phone to check his messages. “Yeah, tonight should be a good night for that. Let’s hope he’s not into Wincestrial love.”

Dean almost choked on his own spit. He sent a glare Sam’s way and almost said something when the door opened and a shorter man with gold locks strolled in. He looked around briefly before looking over at the brothers. He smiled and made his way over. “Hello there, I’m Gabriel Coleman. I have an interview.”

Dean smiled politely at him and nodded. “I’m Dean Winchester and this is my brother Sam. Follow me, we’ll go back to my office.”

Gabriel nodded. He sent a smile Sam’s way before following Dean into the back. Jo and Benny stopped laughing when they heard the door open. They looked over to see Dean walk in with a man and were immediately curious. They began their routine of eavesdropping outside the office door as soon as Dean shut it.

Dean sat down behind his desk and pulled out Gabriel’s application, skimming it over real quick. “So, let’s start with your schedule. When would you be free to work?”

“Anytime, really. I just moved here and have been looking for a job. I saw the ad in the paper and gave it a shot. I don’t really have anything else going on to interfere.”

Dean nodded, “Okay, good. I’m guessing you’re looking for full-time. What position were you wanting?”

“Well, I have previous experience as a bartender in a club back where I moved from. I worked there for about a year before I moved here.”

Dean was starting to like the guy more and more. “Alright, awesome. Are you looking for another job to add on top of this one if you get it?”

Gabriel smirked. “No, I’m only looking for one job. If I get this one, I’ll stop my search.”

“That’s good to hear. Less scheduling conflicts. May I ask…why a bar?”

He shrugged, “What can I say? I like being social and what better place to socialize than a bar.”

“So, you’re a people person. That’s a good quality. I just have one more question for you…”

Gabriel nodded, “Shoot.”

Dean smirked. “When can you start?”

Gabriel’s smirk turned into a grin. “Anytime, Dean-o. I can start right now if you need me to.”

Dean nodded, “I’ll tell you what…you be here by five tonight and you’ve got a job.”

“That’s great! Now, on to more important matters. What’s the dress code?”

“Casual. Dark jeans, nice t-shirt, overshirt if you want to. I don’t care about the shoes as long as they have traction. It gets a bit slippery.”

Gabriel nodded, “That’s doable. Do I need to sign anything or am I good to go?”

Dean reached into his desk and pulled out a couple sheets of paper. He explained that they were for insurance purposes. Then he handed him some papers for him to fill out for taxes. “If you want to fill them out here, then you can do that out in the bar at one of the booths. If not, that’s fine just bring it back to me as soon as you can.”

Gabriel nodded and stood. He reached out and shook Dean’s hand. “Awesome! Well, I do have some things to get done and some changing to do, so I will bring them back.”

Dean nodded, “Okay, let’s go introduce you to the others before you go and then you’re all set.”

He moved out from behind his desk and lead the way out of the office, back into the bar. He’d noticed Benny and Jo weren’t anywhere in the kitchen so he figured they’d run out to tell Sam the good news.  
They found Sam, Jo, and Benny huddled around the bar talking. They abruptly stopped when they heard the door to the kitchen open. Dean rolled his eyes but made the introductions. “Jo, Benny, this is Gabriel. Gabriel, this is Jo and Benny. Jo is the waitress and Benny is the cook. They’ll both be here tonight.”

Gabriel stepped closed to shake their hands. “Please, call me Gabe. Everyone does.”

Jo smiled, “It’s nice to meet you, Gabe. Looks like we’ll be seeing you tonight then?”

He nodded, “Yep! Dean-o here gave me the job. I will see you people here at five! Adios!”

Dean chuckled and watched the short man leave the bar. The three of them turned to him smiling. He raised an eyebrow. “What?”

Jo jumped up and down. “We have a new bartender! Aren’t you excited?!”

He rolled his eyes, but couldn’t help the smile that graced his lips. “I’ll be excited if he doesn’t turn out to be some crazy stalker or know-it-all who scares off business.”

“You heard him in there! He likes to be social. I don’t think he’ll be either. So, it’s a safe bet that he’ll be here to stay.”

Dean sat down on the stool next to Sam. “Well, don’t get your hopes up. Tonight will be a test run. We’ll see how he handles it.”

“Dude, he said he was a bartender for almost a year. I think he’ll do just fine.”

Dean nodded, “I hope so. Anyways, next interview should be here soon. She’s the last one, thankfully. If you’re lucky, maybe I’ll hire her as a waitress.”

Jo smiled, “Good! We need another one of those.”

“No, I meant to replace you.”

She rolled her eyes. “Oh, Dean, you know you wouldn’t last a day without me.”

Sam nodded, “You know, she’s right, Dean.”

Dean rolled his eyes, “Oh, shut up.”

They continued to talk about different things that had been going on in each of their lives. The group hadn’t gotten to see each other outside of work in a while, so it was a good time to catch up on things that weren’t discussed in passing while at the bar. They wasted a good fifteen minutes laughing at each other before the door opened for a third time. They all turned to see who it was and found a girl, maybe in her late teens, early twenties. She had long red hair, a canvas bag slung across her chest, and converse. Dean had a good feeling about her immediately.

He stood to greet her. “You must be Charlie?”

She nodded. She seemed a bit nervous. “Charlie Bradbury, at your service. You must be Dean?”

He smiled and nodded, “That’s me! Why don’t we head into my office and we’ll get started with the interview.”

She nodded and followed him as he left for his office. It was getting to be routine for him now. When they entered his office, he shut the door and took a seat behind his desk like he’d done the last time. He shuffled the applications around until he found Charlie’s and looked up at her.

“So, Charlie, tell me about yourself. What brings you here?”

She swallowed, knitted her fingers together and looked up to meet his eye. “Well, I graduated early from high school before I went to MIT. I didn’t exactly have the best home situation so I wanted to get out of there as soon as possible. I got a job as this tech person for a company that, frankly, doesn’t pay me enough for everything that I do. So, I’m looking for a second job. I’m hoping part-time. I’ve been a waitress before, but never been behind a bar. I’m hoping to save up enough money to go to this thing I go to every year? It’s called Comic-con, you probably haven’t heard of it, but it’s a lot of fun.”

Dean’s smile grew. “I’ve heard of it. Even thought about going one year.”

Her face brightened. “Really? What genre? Or is it a bunch of them?”

“Star Wars, Star Trek, Lord of the Rings…that sort of thing.”

“Awesome! You’re a geek master.”

His smile grew even more and he relaxed. He was really liking her so far. “When can you work? I can give you weekends and if you need more I can give you some nights during the week and special events.”

Charlie nodded, “That would be great! I could handle a few nights during the week as well as weekends.”

Dean nodded, reaching into his desk for the paperwork. “Okay, I’m going to have to have you sign these for insurance purposes and fill these out for taxes. You can take the one for taxes with you and return it to me as soon as you can.”

As she was signing the papers, Dean thought back on what she had said. She hadn’t had the best home situation and had wanted to get out of there quickly. It reminded him of his own home situation when he was growing up. His mother had died when he was young and his father was an alcoholic that was always either working, sleeping, or drinking. He’d raised Sam all on his own since he was six. He could definitely relate to a bad home situation. Whatever Charlie had gone through…for some reason he wanted to make sure she never had to go through it again. He felt a wave of protectiveness wash over him and he hardly knew the girl. Immediately he knew that she would make a great fit here.

When she finished signing the insurance papers, she looked up at him smiling. “So, when do I start?”

Dean smiled. “Today’s Tuesday, so how about you come in tomorrow night about five-thirty? I’d have you start tonight, but I have someone else starting tonight behind the bar and would rather focus on training one person at a time.”

Charlie nodded, “Oh, that’s completely understandable. Is that all, or is there more I need to know?”

Dean shook his head, standing up. “Nope. Let’s go introduce you to the others and I’ll let you get on your way.”

They walked back out into the bar, following the same routine. He could see the smile threatening to break out on Jo’s face and he knew they’d been listening again.

“Jo, Benny, Sam, this is Charlie, our new part-time waitress. Charlie, this is my brother, Sam, Jo, the other waitress, and Benny, our cook.”

She smiled at them all and gave them a small wave. “It’s nice to meet all of you!”

They smiled back and Jo nodded, “Believe me, it’s good to meet you too! When do you start?”

“Tomorrow night at five-thirty.”

Jo’s smile widened. “Awesome! Well, we’ll see you then!”

Charlie gave them all another wave before walking out of the bar. Dean sat down on the stool he’d been sitting at beside Sam. Jo smiled at him. “So. She’s a geek just like you. You must be pretty excited to have someone to geek-out over with.”

He rolled his eyes. “Shut it, Jo. She’s a nice girl and her hours fit perfectly. I think she’ll make a good addition.”

She nodded, “I agree. She seems really nice. She’ll fit right in around here.”

Dean didn’t know how to respond, so he kept his mouth shut and ran over a mental list of things he needed to get done. His mind began to wander to the two people he just hired. He really hoped that they would work out and that he wouldn’t regret it.


	2. Moose

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Gabe gets an idea and he recruits Sam to help him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry it's been a few days. I kind of got stuck on where to go with it. I already have next chapter planned out, so I hope to get it up much sooner! Well, enjoy!

**Chapter 2**

“So, Gabe…what made you decide to move to Mountain View?”

Gabe looked up from the glass he was cleaning off and saw Sam looking at him, waiting for an answer. Dean looked over at the two from the corner of his eye, interested in the conversation.

“Oh you know, the view. And my best friend lives here. He moved out here for a job a while back and we’re practically brothers so I moved out here first chance I got.”

Sam nodded, interested. “That’s really cool. It helps knowing someone when you move. Who’s your friend? Maybe we know him.”

Gabe smirked. “Probably not. He’s a bit of a recluse. He’s a professor down at Stanford. For being a college professor, he really doesn’t know how to live. He stays home all the time and grades papers. Oh, and the courses he teaches? Super boring.”

Sam raised an eyebrow. “Well, I go to Stanford so maybe I have him in class or something.”

Gabe’s smirk turned into a smile. “Smart and handsome. I like that. His name is Castiel Novak. He teaches-.”

“He teaches history. I don’t have him in class, but he tutors students in different subjects. I had him as a tutor last semester, but now we’re friends. I see him all the time.”

Gabe’s eyebrows shot up. “You mean Cassie has a friend other than me? Wow, small world. He’s never mentioned it to me, though we don’t exactly talk about his life that much. Or…lack of one. I’ve been trying to get him to get out more, but you know how it is with him, I’m sure. He’d rather stay home and read a book than talk to a human being.”

Sam chuckled, “Yeah, that’s Castiel, alright. You should get him to come to the bar sometime, have a beer. I bet he’d enjoy himself.”

Gabe nodded, “Yeah, that’s a good idea. I’ll work on it. You should too. Maybe if two people push him out of the house, he’ll actually do it.”

“Alright, sounds like a plan! I’m meeting him in a little bit, so I’ll see what I can do.”

Dean chuckled. It was just like Sam to try and get people to socialize. It was also just like him to stay inside and study his ass off. Dean didn’t think the kid had been to a single party in his entire college experience. It didn’t surprise him at all that he wasn’t dating anyone.

“So, Sam, you said you’re going to Stanford. What are you studying?”

Sam took a swig from his beer before answering. “I’m pre-law.”

Gabe’s eyes widened. “Pre-law? Damn. You’re one smart moose.”

Dean couldn’t keep his laughter under control anymore. He’d never heard anyone call his brother a moose before. The nickname fit so perfectly Dean couldn’t control himself.

Sam glared at his brother. “What’s so funny, Dean?”

When Dean was able to collect himself, he grinned at Sam. “I’ve never heard anyone call you moose before. I’ll have to remember it. It fits perfectly.”

Sam rolled his eyes. “Ha ha, very funny, Dean.”

Dean smirked and turned his attention on a group of young ladies sitting at the bar. Gabe watched him out of the corner of his eye as he flirted with the girls and received each of their numbers. He stashed them in his pocket as he walked away from the group. Gabe turned to Sam.

“So, tell me something, Sam. Is your brother a womanizer or is he just overly friendly?”

Sam looked up from his phone and watched as Dean flirted with another young lady as he poured her a shot.

“He flirts with them so they’ll buy more drinks. They give him their number, he accepts it, but then later after he closes, he throws them all away. I’ve never seen him use a single number he’s been given.”

Gabe’s brow furrowed. “Why? They’re very attractive and he seems like the type to be a womanizer. Unless…he’s got a girlfriend?”

Sam shook his head. “Nope. The last girlfriend he had…well…it didn’t end too well. That was about a year ago, I think. I don’t think he’s been on a single date since.”

Gabe watched as Dean flirted with another customer. When he walked away, that look of sheer flirtation melted away and a wall of stone was seen in his eyes. He was hiding something from the world, something not even Sam could see.

“If you don’t mind me asking, Samsquatch, but…what happened with him and this chick for him to not go on a single date since?”

Sam looked down at his beer, chewing absently on his bottom lip for a moment before looking back up at Gabe. “Well…her name was Lisa. They were perfect for each other. They’d had a couple of flings before getting together, but when they did get together…they were with each other for a year. That’s the longest relationship he’s ever had. Everything was great. Dean was the happiest I’ve ever seen him. They moved in together pretty early in the relationship. Dean even took care of her kid as if he were his own. He loved that kid.”

“Okay…so if Dean was so happy, then what happened?”

Sam sighed, “About two months before it ended, Dean mentioned to me that she’d started acting weird. She’d ignore his calls, come home late. He said she was distant. He’d tried talking to her about it, but she just waved it off and said she was stressed at work, there was a lot to do, it wasn’t a big deal. He believed her and dismissed it. Then she started getting calls in the middle of the night sometimes where she would take them into the other room. At first, Dean would just go back to bed and not pay any attention to it, but one night he got up and listened to see what was going on. He never told me what he heard, but it made him suspicious. One day he had Ellen cover for him and he followed her after she got off work. He followed her all the way to this little apartment building a couple of towns over. Ben, the kid, was staying at a friend’s house so he wasn’t with Lisa. He stayed for a little bit, but ended up going home and waiting for her there. When she got home, it was really early in the morning, way later than she’d ever come home. Dean questioned her, told her he was suspicious, asked her to be honest with him. They got into a huge fight and she kicked him out. She accused him of being paranoid and not trusting her. A few days later, Dean and I stopped over when he didn’t think she’d be home to get some of his stuff and found her there with another guy. The guy was confused and said, ‘Is this that douchebag? The one you kicked out?’ It got pretty loud and heated after that. Lisa ended up accidentally admitting to cheating on Dean with the guy, Dean decked him, then we left. Lisa told Dean that if he ever went near Ben again, she’d have him arrested. The only reason he got his stuff back was because I went back later on and got it from her. He found the house he’s living in now and hasn’t seen anyone since. He was pretty upset that he could never see Ben again.”

Gabe’s mouth had dropped open halfway through Sam’s story and had stayed there until Sam was finished. His eyes were wide and Sam could swear he looked like a fish.

“Damn…no wonder the guy hasn’t seen anyone. That’s a pretty bad situation.”

Sam nodded, finishing off his beer. “Yeah. We gave him some time, but after a while we started to try to get him to see anyone, even go sleep with someone, act like his normal self. He snapped and said it wasn’t any of our business what he did with his free time. That was the last time any of us tried to get him back out there.”

Gabe nodded, looking over at Dean who was pouring a mug of beer. “Sam…I have an idea.”

Sam looked up at him and raised an eyebrow. “Oh, yeah? What’s that?”

Gabe looked at him with a grin on his face. “Let’s play a little game. It’s something I like to call…matchmaker.”

Sam just stared at him. “Matchmaker.”

“Yes, matchmaker. We are going to find Dean-o a girlfriend. He is going to be happy again.”

Sam snorted, “You think you can get him to date someone?”

“Of course I do! I’m an expert. I worked at a club for a year, remember? I did it as a living. You want your brother to be happy again or what?”

Sam looked over at Dean and watched him carefully. He watched the way he moved, tense but not stiff. He was guarded. He flirted, but he didn’t let anyone see his true self. He wore a smile, but he wasn’t really happy. Sam looked back at Gabe.

“Okay, let’s do it.”

Gabe held up a finger. “Ah, ah, ah. Only on one condition.”

Sam repressed the urge to roll his eyes. “And what might that be?”

“You have to agree to go on a date yourself.”

Sam’s brow furrowed, not sure if he liked where this was going. “On a date? With who?”

“Me, of course. So, what do you say, Samsquatch. Go on a date with me? I promise you won’t regret it.”

Sam thought over his options. He knew that Dean wouldn’t listen to him, Jo, Benny, or Ellen when it came to dating again, but just maybe if they did it right…Dean would never know it was them who were setting him up.

“I’ll make you a deal. If you can find someone who makes Dean happy and he agrees to go on a date with them…then I’ll go on a date with you.”

A smile lit up Gabe’s face and he stuck out his hand. “You have a deal.”

 

Sam smiled when he saw Castiel walk through the doors of the little restaurant they’d chosen to meet up at. He’d only just arrived himself, so he hadn’t had to wait long.

Castiel walked over to the table and sat down. “Hello, Sam.”

“Hey, Castiel! Get all your papers graded?”

“Yes, I just finished right before I had to leave.”

Sam nodded, picking up his beer. “That’s good. So, what’s been going on lately? Anything new?”

Castiel shook his head. “The only news I have to share is that a good friend of mine has moved to town. He moved here recently from our hometown.”

Sam nodded, “Yeah, uh, Gabe.”

Castiel’s brow furrowed together. “You know him?”

Sam took a swig of his beer before setting it down. “Yeah, my brother Dean just hired him at the bar. Tonight’s his third night working there.”

Recognition shown on Castiel’s face. “He mentioned he got a job at a bar, but that is all I was told. I had no idea that it was your brother’s bar.”

Sam nodded, “Yep. He started the same day Dean hired him. He’s been needing a new bartended for a while now, but was hesitant to hire anyone else. Personally, I think he was just afraid to introduce anyone else into the family. We haven’t exactly had the best of luck with bartenders. I think Dean saw some potential in Gabe and gave him the job right away.”

Castiel smiled. “Gabriel really needed a job and I am glad he found one so quickly. He has not complained once about it so far, so that is a good sign.”

Sam chuckled, “Yeah, he seems to like it. Hey, why don’t you come sometime. I’m there a lot so I can see Dean and the others. That’s where I was before I came here actually. It’ll be fun.”

Castiel was about to object, but Sam interrupted him. “Come on, Castiel, have some fun. Just come have a beer with me and then we can go to that bookstore you like so much that is only a couple of minutes away from there.”

Castiel thought it over, weighing his options. He wasn’t a big drinker, but one drink couldn’t hurt. “One beer and then we go to the bookstore?”

A grin appeared on Sam’s face. “One beer and then we can go anywhere you want. Just come down and check it out. You won’t regret it, I promise.”

Castiel chewed his lip for a moment. “Fine. You have a deal, Sam. When would you like to go?”

“How about tomorrow night? We can grab a bite to eat at the bar, Benny’s cooking is phenomenal, have a beer, then we can hit the road. I can finally introduce you to my brother too. He’s always asking me who you are, trying to make sure I’m not hanging out with a psychotic freak.”

“That is very wise of him, Sam. For all he knows I could kidnap you and he may never see you again. Though I would never do that, your brother has every reason to worry.”

Sam rolled his eyes. “Yeah, you and him would get along great. I can see it now.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So...what did y'all think??


	3. Sexual Tension

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Castiel comes to the bar and meets the big brother. Gabe gets a new piece of information, Jo gets in on the plan, and Dean gets a phone call that changes things a bit.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am soooo sorry it's taking me forever and a day to update. To be completely honest with you, I almost gave up on this story and just called it quits. For quite a while, I just got out of it. Just fell off the track for this story. Not to mention I haven't done a lot of writing the past few weeks anyway. I already have the next chapter mostly planned out. So...I'm hoping it won't be too long before I get it posted. Enjoy!

**Chapter 3**

Gabe looked up from pouring a mug of beer to see Sam strolling in. He plopped down at the far end of the bar, away from the majority of paying customers. Dean walked in from the back and smiled when he saw his little brother sitting there.

“Sammy! How’s it goin?”

Sam looked up and smiled. “Good. Good. Just, uh, came in for a beer.”

Dean raised an eyebrow at him. “Okay, well, Mr. Crappy Liar, have a beer.”

He pulled a beer out from underneath the bar, twisted the cap off, and set it down in front of Sam. He didn’t bother grilling him for information, instead deciding he’d find out sooner or later so he walked away. Gabe watched him walk away to go clean off some tables since Jo was helping Benny in the back. When Dean walked into the back, he moved to stand in front of Sam. “Okay, Samsquatch, what’s the word?”

Sam smiled around his beer. “He’s in.”

“He’s in. He’s in? Just like that and he’s in?”

Sam nodded, taking a sip of his beer. “Yep.”

Gabe stared at him for a moment, not sure what to say. “Well, how did you do it? Tie him up and threaten to never let him go until he gave in, held a lighter to his favorite books, took away his tea, what?”

Sam rolled his eyes. “I asked him.”

“You asked him. That’s all. You asked him and he said yes. What exactly did you ask him?”

“I said, ‘Hey, how about we go grab a beer and a bite to eat at my brother’s bar, where your friend Gabe works, then we can go down to the bookstore that’s a couple of minutes away.’ And he said yes.”

Gabe nodded, “Yeah, see I’d be more impressed if you’d left out the part with the bookstore. That’s a hook, line, and sinker move right there. Very smart though, I’ll give you that. That’s a classic. Go for the knees. I like it, Moose. Who would have thought you had tactic skills.”

Sam shook his head, but couldn’t help the small smile that pulled at his lips. “It’s not like this is a top secret mission, Gabe. We’re just trying to get our friend out of his apartment for a while and socialize, have a beer.”

Gabe nodded, “Yeah, and while we’re at it we should get him laid. We’re already trying to get Big Brother laid, might as well take on two cases at once and score some major points.”

Sam rolled his eyes. “Okay, what does Cas like? I mean, we haven’t exactly talked about his sexual preferences in every day conversation and he’s a bit hard to read.”

Gabe nodded as he wiped down the counter, trying to keep himself busy. “He’s gay. Only had a handful of boyfriends though so he’s a bit low on the experience side. No idea if he’s a virgin or not. I’m guessing not. It’s always the quiet ones who are kinky.”

Sam snorted, not really needing that mental image, but not giving it much thought. Jo walked out and saw them talking in low voices so she made her way over. Neither men had heard her sneak up so when she suddenly appeared, they both jumped slightly.

Sam ran a hand through his hair and glanced at the door to the back. “Don’t sneak up on us like that, Jo.”

Jo raised an eyebrow. “What’s up with you two? You’re awfully jumpy. And you keep sneaking glances at the door, so I’m going to take a wild guess and assume that whatever the two of you are up to, it involves the boss and he can’t know about it.”

Sam sighed, knowing it’d be better if they brought her in on it. “Yeah, which means you can’t tell him or anyone that might accidentally tell him. He’ll have all of our heads if he finds out.”

Jo nodded and held up three fingers. “Scout’s honor. So…wanna fill me in on the juicy details so we can get started on whatever it is that’s going on?”

Gabe leaned forward and filled her in as Sam kept his eyes on the door to the backroom, making sure Dean didn’t walk out while they were conspiring. That would not be very pretty.

Jo’s eyes lit up. “So…you’re saying that we…we’re finally doing something about this? About his stubbornness and unwillingness to be happy??”

Sam chuckled and nodded, prying his eyes away from the door. “Yeah. Gabe wants to play matchmaker.”

The grin that came to her face was priceless. Anyone who saw it would know she was up to something. “This is brilliant. We’re going to have fun with this.”

**SPN**

Castiel walked through the door and looked around. It was fairly busy, but not crowded. He immediately spotted Sam sitting at the bar talking to Gabriel. As he made his way over, Gabriel looked up and smiled at the sight of his friend.

“Cassie! I never thought I’d see you here.”

Castiel frowned. “It is not a place I would normally come. However, Sam asked me to join him. I could not decline.”

Sam chuckled, looking up at his friend. “It’s good to see you, Castiel. Here, have a seat. Gabe can put in our orders when you’re ready.”

Castiel nodded and picked up a menu once he was seated. He skimmed over the menu as Dean walked in from the back. Dean wasn’t exactly paying attention to anything that wasn’t the phone attached to his ear. He was having a quite heated discussion with whomever was on the other line.

Sam looked up, his brow furrowing at the sight of his brother. “Hey, Gabe, who’s Dean talking to?”

Gabe looked up and turned around to find Dean sorting through a log book they kept underneath the bar by the register. Gabe shrugged. “Who knows. He seems rather pissed though.”

Sam nodded, watching his brother intently. It wasn’t long before Dean ended the call and shoved the phone back into his pocket.

Castiel looked up from his menu, watching the man the who were also watching. “That is your brother?”

Sam nodded, distracted. “Hey, Dean!”

Dean looked up at the sound of his name and spotted the three of them watching him. He made his way over and they could all see the tension in his shoulders.

“Hey, Sammy, what’s up?”

“Who was that on the phone?”

Dean sighed and ran a hand through his hair quickly. “Sherriff Mills.”

Sam’s eyes widened. “As in…Jody Mills? From back home?”

Dean nodded. “The very one.”

“Well, what’d she want?”

“She called to inform me that Dad’s gotten himself into a bit of trouble. Again. I have to go back for a couple of days, sort everything out.”

Sam shook his head, his anger rising. “Why do you have to go back? Can’t you handle it from here? Or better yet, just let him sit in jail.”

Dean shrugged, “Someone’s gotta do it, right? I’ll only be gone for a couple of days. Ellen and Bobby are going to take care of the shop. Ash won’t be back again for the books until I’m back, so no one has to worry about that. The budget’s in good shape, just sorted everything out a few minutes ago.”

Gabe looked between the brothers. “You’re gonna leave with a newbie workin’?”

Dean looked up at him, forcing a smirk. “Come on, Gabe. I’d say you’re doing pretty well. I don’t think you need me looking over your shoulder.”

Gabe rolled his eyes. “I wasn’t talking about me, Dean-o. I was talking about Charlie. I am fully capable of taking care of the bar in your absence.”

Dean shook his head. “Charlie will be fine. Jo’s gonna help her out like she’s been doing. The only thing I’m worried about is you.” His eyes switched back to Sam, taking him in.

Sam shifted in his seat, the tension rising slightly. “Dean, I’ll be fine. You’re the one we should worry about. Dad’s not exactly…sane.”

“I’ll be fine, Sam. I can handle Dad. I have been for years. I don’t think this time will be any different.”

“Dean, the last time you went back he tried to kill you.”

“The last time I went back he was drunk off his ass the entire time. That wasn’t him. It’ll be fine. Jody will be there. Besides, I can handle him. He’s no match for your big brother.”

Sam pursed his lips together, worried already. Dean seemed to suddenly realize there was someone sitting next to Sam listening in on the conversation. When their eyes met, both men froze. Dean’s lips parted the slightest bit, his eyes never leaving Castiel’s.

Gabe picked up on it immediately and looked back and forth between the two men. “Um…I feel like I shouldn’t be here right now.”

Sam looked up at Gabe and suddenly picked up on the sexual tension surrounding them. He looking between his friend and his brother, his brow raising. “Right. Castiel, this is my brother Dean. Dean, this is my friend from Stanford I was telling you about, Castiel.”

Castiel was the first to break out of the trance. “It is a pleasure to finally meet you, Dean. I have heard a lot about you.”

Dean swallowed. “Yeah, so have I. You don’t look like the type to kidnap and murder my brother.”

Castiel cracked a small smile. “I assure you that I would never do that. Your brother is perfectly safe with me.”

Dean’s lips pulled up at the corners, his eyes crinkling. “That’s good to know. Now I won’t have to worry so much when he says he’s going to hang out with a complete stranger.”

“I am no longer a complete stranger. Though you do not know me well, I am sure that Sam would have no trouble defending himself if he were ever to be put in that sort of a situation.”

Dean’s smile widened. “I’m sure he wouldn’t. I taught him how to fight myself. Though he’s greatly out of practice, I’m sure he could take someone down easily.”

Sam and Gabe shared a look. It was quickly becoming a conversation meant for just the two men. They hadn’t anticipated this sort of response when the two men met each other.

Suddenly Jo appeared by the door to the kitchen and was calling Dean’s name. Dean seemed to snap out of his reverie, glancing over at Jo and nodding in her direction before his eyes swiveled back to land on Castiel’s. “It was nice meeting you, Cas. I hope Sammy brings you around more often. It’s good to know all his friends outside of the bar aren’t imaginary.”

Besides Sam’s quick exclamation of “Hey!”, Cas smiled broadly. “I think that may be able to be arranged. It was nice meeting you as well. I hope everything goes well for you. Have a good trip, Dean.”

Dean’s smile widened the slightest bit more. He nodded towards Cas before forcing his legs to work and he walked off in the direction Jo had been calling his name. As soon as he was out of earshot, both Sam and Gabe turned towards Cas in surprise.

“Cassie…I never knew you had it in you.” Gabe looked quickly up at Sam, his eyes shining. “I told you, it’s always the quiet ones.”

Sam shook his head, focusing back on Cas. “What was that all about?”

Cas looked up at Sam, confused. “What do you mean?”

“You were flirting with my brother.”

Cas’s brow furrowed. “I was not flirting.”

Gabe laughed. “That, my friend, was definitely flirting. I think someone’s got the hots for Dean-o. Though…Sam…”

Sam forced his eyes away from Cas. “Yeah?”

“You never told me your brother was bi. What the hell? That opens up his choices exponentially.”

Sam shook his head. “He’s only ever been with one guy and that was in high school. I always thought it was a phase or something. That he was just trying it out. He _was_ drunk when it happened…”

Gabe’s ears perked up. “Oh, Sammy. Do tell.”

Sam rolled his eyes, turning back to Cas. “You know…I don’t have a problem with it if you do like him. As long as the both of you are happy, I don’t care.”

Cas shifted uncomfortably. He wasn’t used to talking about his personal life or his feelings for that matter. “I do not believe you have anything to worry about, Sam. I highly doubt Dean is interested. It doesn’t matter. How about we order?”

Sam nodded hesitantly. They both gave their orders before Sam stood up. “I’ll be right back. I’m going to go say goodbye to Dean. He’s probably leaving tonight.”

The two men nodded as he moved behind the bar and then through the doors leading to the back. He found his brother in his office, grabbing his coat.

“Dean.”

Dean looked up and saw the worry clear on his face. “Sam, don’t worry about me, okay? I can handle him. I grew up handling him.”

Sam nodded, “Still just…be careful. We need you around here.”

Dean forced a smile onto his face before walking over and ruffling Sam’s hair. “Aw, little brother, you going to miss me? I’ll only be gone a couple of days. You won’t even notice I’m gone.”

Dean walked out of his office, waving to Benny and Jo who were watching him, just as worried as Sam. He walked out the back door and hopped into his baby. She purred to life and he gunned it out of the parking lot. He made a quick stop by his house on his way out of town to pick up some clothes for a couple of days and then he was gone. As he crossed the town line, he glanced in his rearview mirror. He had a sinking feeling in the pit of his stomach that the next couple of days weren’t going to be easy.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So...what do you think's gonna happen while Dean's back home??? Any guesses? Send me a message and if you're right, I'll tell you! ^.^


	4. Flashbacks and Guardian Angels

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dean arrives at the Roadhouse after being gone for 3 days, not being heard from for one and a half. As he tells his story of what happened to him over the course of the past three days, his family journey with him on the rollercoaster of emotions Dean was put through.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So..I wanted to have this up sooner, but the flashbacks too longer than I anticipated. Most of the reviews I've gotten for this story are telling me how anxious y'all are to see what happens to Dean. Well...now you will find out! Just don't kill me or anything, haha!! Enjoy!

**Chapter 4**

Dean pulled himself out of the impala and made his way towards the bar. He wasn’t looking forward to what was about to happen. He’d had a very long three days. He’d only intended to be gone for two, but fit hit the shan so he’d had to stay an extra day. Dean had been unable to answer his phone for the past day and a half as his phone had been shattered. He knew Sam must be completely freaking out by this point.

He barely made it through the door before Sam was practically running at him, his eyes worried and intense. “Dean! Your phone’s been off and I haven’t heard from you in a day and a half! You were supposed to be back yesterday. And what the hell happened to your face?!”

Dean sighed, he’d known this was coming. He let the door shut behind him and took in their audience. The bar was empty save for Ellen, Jo, Gabe, Castiel, and Sam. He took a few steps into the bar, but was stopped by Sam who was now standing directly in front of him.

“Dean!”

“Sam…It’s been a long few days. Can I at least sit down before you interrogate me?”

Sam huffed, but stepped to the side, allowing his brother to walk across the room and take a seat at the bar.

“You’re walking weird. You’re stiff.”

Dean sighed, shutting his eyes and pinching the bridge of his nose. “Yeah, Sam. Like I said, it’s been a long few days.”

Sam sat down on the stool next to him, in between Dean and Castiel. “Why’s your phone off? And why didn’t you call me back?”

“My phone broke. I haven’t exactly been able to get to another one in order to call you. I wanted to leave town as soon as possible. I think you can understand why.”

Sam nodded, already knowing that their father had had something to do with what had happened over the past few days. “What’d he do?”

Dean sighed again, opening his eyes. “A lot, Sammy. I’m not going back.”

Sam was silent for a moment. He hadn’t been expecting that. Dean had always been their father’s obedient soldier, always doing what he said. The first time Dean had really disobeyed their father was when he moved out and followed Sam to California against their father’s orders. Dean was rarely happy to see their father, but he always obeyed his orders. It was something that had always stumped Sam. He could never figure out why he did it.

“Dean…what the hell happened?”

Dean swallowed, gathering his thoughts. “I guess I’ll start at the beginning. When I got there, Dad was in jail.”

_Dean walked into the station, preparing himself for what was soon to be a disaster. He quickly spotted Sherriff Jody Mills in her office and made his way to her. When he stepped inside, she looked up, a smile coming to her face._

_“Dean. It’s good to see you. It’s been a long time!”_

_Dean smiled easily, he’d missed her. She stood and came around her desk, wrapping her arms around him in a friendly hug. “Yeah, it has. I can’t say I’ve exactly missed it here though.”_

_She pulled back and smiled softly at him. “No one can blame you there. You know, you did the right thing, leaving town and following your brother to California. I bet it helps him with you being out there. I’m sure it wasn’t easy starting over where you didn’t know anyone.”_

_Dean nodded, “You’ve got that right, but…we’ve found ourselves a family out there. It’s not all bad.”_

_Her smile widened before it started to falter. “Well…I don’t mean to bring down the mood, but…shall we get down to business?”_

_Dean nodded, moving to take a seat in one of the chairs seat in front of her desk. She took her own chair and pulled out his father’s file. “This time is a bit more serious than drunken disorderly or public intoxication. He’s got a bigger charges on him this time. Mainly being assault and battery.”_

_Dean sat up straighter. “Who’d he attack?”_

_Jody’s frown deepened. “I’m afraid it was Adam Milligan.”_

_Dean’s mouth dropped open. “The kid down the street? That kid’s only, like, seventeen!”_

_Jody nodded, “Adam isn’t pressing charges. He said that John didn’t mean it, he was just drunk and it was a mistake. He’s coming in to sign the papers here soon saying he’s dropping all charges against him.”_

_Dean shook his head, looking out the window in the direction he knew were the cells. “I can’t believe this. Is he okay?”_

_Jody nodded, “That’s the good news, though I’m afraid that’s the only good news I have. Adam’s strong. He got roughed up a bit, but nothing serious. He even declined a trip to the ER.”_

_Dean nodded, “He’s a tough kid. Reminds me a lot of Sammy when he was growing up.”_

_“Yeah, me too. Well, as soon as Adam gets here and signs the papers…you can take your dad home.”_

_Dean nodded absently, wondering what it would be next time. “This has to stop, Jody. He’s getting out of control.”_

_“You mean more out of control than he was before. Ever since…Ever since your mom passed…I’ve seen a lot of grieving in my time, but it’s as if he’s blaming himself, making himself suffer for what happened to Mary.”_

_Dean nodded, “Yeah. One night when he was drunk, he accidently let slip that it was his fault. It took me a while to figure out he meant about Mom. Why would he think it’s his fault though?”_

_Jody shook her head, looking away. “I don’t know. I guess that’s something you should ask him sometime. Only he would know the answer to that.”_

_Before Dean could answer, a blonde teenager walked into the office. Dean looked up and saw the damage his father had done to the poor kid. Adam had a black eye and swollen, busted lip. He immediately stood, regret showing in his eyes._

_“Hey, kid. How are you doin?”_

_Adam met Dean’s eye and smiled. “I’m good. Been better, but hey.”_

_Dean nodded, he knew exactly what he meant. “If you need anything, don’t hesitate to let me know.”_

_Adam nodded, “I know, Dean. It’s been that way for years. I can’t imagine it suddenly ending just because your dad got a  bit out of control.”_

_Dean nodded, anger flaring at his father. “Yeah. You still have my number, right?”_

_Adam nodded again. “Of course. And Sam’s, so you don’t have to worry about that either.”_

_Dean forced a smile to his lips. Jody stood and walked around her desk. “It’s good to see you, Adam. You sure you want to still drop all charges?”_

_Adam hesitated, glancing at Dean. Dean saw the worry flash through his eyes._

_“Adam, don’t worry. I’ll support any decision you make. If you decide to keep him locked up, hey! I’m all for it. Means he’s not on the streets anymore causing trouble. If you drop the charges…I’ll do my best while I’m here to make sure he doesn’t touch you again.”_

_Adam nodded, taking a breath. “Yeah, I don’t see the point in pressing charges. I don’t want to drag this on longer than it has to. I know it’s hard on my mom.”_

_Jody nodded and moved back to her desk to get the paperwork. Adam stepped closer and signed where she told him to. After a minute or two, Jody smiled and straightened. “There, everything’s in order. There’s no more need for you to be here, Adam. I suggest you get out of here before we release him though. With John you just never know what’s going to happen.”_

_He glanced at Dean who nodded. “I’ll see you around, kid. Maybe I’ll stop by before I leave town again.”_

_A smile came to Adam’s face. “Yeah, I’d like that. Well, I’ll see you around. Thanks, Sherriff, Dean.”_

_The two nodded and watched as he left the office. “You know, I was kind of hoping he wasn’t going to drop the charges.”_

_Jody huffed a laugh. “You and me both.”_

Sam shook his head. “Wait…so you’re saying…Dad attacked _Adam?!_ As in…the kid who lives down the street. As in, the kid you used to babysit and looked after?”

Dean nodded, “The very one.”

“Well, he’s okay, right?”

Dean nodded. “Yeah. He’s fine. I made sure of it.”

Sam nodded, “Okay…um. What happened next?”

Dean took a sip from the glass of water Jo had set it front of him while he’d been talking. When he was done, he set it down and stared at it for a moment before picking up where he’d left off.

_Dean and Jody walked back into the cells. John was laying on a cot, staring up at the ceiling. When he heard the door open, he turned to see his son walk in with the Sherriff._

_“Well, if it isn’t my oldest son. Surprised to see you here, Dean. What brought you all the way back from California?”_

_“Oh, you know…all it took was you attacking a kid. Had me packing my bags and hauling ass over state lines.”_

_John grunted. “How’s Sam doin?”_

_“Sam’s fine.”_

_Jody walked over and unlocked the cell door. “Today’s your lucky day, John. Adam dropped all charges against you. You’re free to go.”_

_John stood from the cot, a cocky grin coming to his face. “Never doubted it for a second. Though I thought I’d be out of here by now.”_

_Jody nodded, “Yeah, well, I told Adam to wait to come in until Dean got here. Now get the hell out of here. I don’t want to see you back in these cells.”_

_He mock saluted her, which surprised Dean. He’d never see his father mock anything that had to do with the military. Even when the man was drunk, he was always a military man at heart, never mocking or ridiculing it. “Yes, ma’am.”_

_Dean turned and started out of the cellblock. He just wanted to get out of there. He wanted away from his father, but he knew that wasn’t going to happen anytime soon. Both Jody and John followed Dean out. They all stopped in front of the door leading outside._

_Jody hugged Dean goodbye. When she pulled back, she smiled at him. “It was good seeing you again, Dean. Why don’t you stop by before you leave town. It’d be nice seeing you again before you leave. Maybe I can even buy you lunch while you’re back if you get the time.”_

_Dean smiled down at her. “I’d love that, thanks, Jody.”_

_She nodded, “Remember, if you need anything, you have my number.”_

_He nodded, reassuring her that he wouldn’t hesitate to get ahold of her if he needed to. She turned to John and the smile slipped from her face. “And you. Why don’t you try behaving yourself for once, hm? It might do you some good.”_

_John’s cocky grin was back in place. “Wouldn’t dream of it.”_

_He turned and walked out of the station, Dean sighing heavily before following him. John immediately spotted the impala and made his way towards her, climbing into the passenger seat. Dean got in, started her up, and started towards the house. He could make his way there blindfolded if he had to._

_The ride to the house was made in silence, just the way Dean wanted it. Sure, he obeyed what his Dad told him to do, but it was his_ dad. _What else was he supposed to do?_

_They pulled up into the driveway and Dean shut off the engine. He pulled the key out and got out of the car. He didn’t even wait for his father before making his way inside, heading straight for the kitchen. There was no way he could get through the rest of the day without a beer._

_Right as he was about to pull one out of the fridge, he realized just how much that made him sound like his dad. He froze. There was no way he wanted to turn into his dad. Instead, he grabbed a bottle of water and closed the door._

_He was shocked his father owned a beverage other than beer, whiskey, or scotch. Those three were practically his best friends, had been for years. He’d scared away all the rest of the friends he’d had who were human._

_“So, Dean…I’m surprised you made the trip home.”_

_Dean nodded, leaning back against the kitchen counter. He’d been waiting for this conversation ever since he got off the phone with Jody back in the bar._

_“Haven’t seen you in, what? A year?”_

_Dean nodded again. “Yeah, something like that.”_

_John grabbed a beer from the fridge, surprise, surprise. Dean watched him down the beer in seconds flat. He figured he was having withdrawals already._

_“How long are you staying?”_

_“Just a couple of days. I have to get back to the bar. Ellen and Bobby are taking care of it while I’m gone, but I need to get back soon.”_

_John nodded. “You and that damn bar of yours.”_

_“I figured you’d be proud. Your son opening up a bar and all.”_

_John turned towards him. “What’s that supposed to mean?”_

_Dean shrugged, “Just that you seem to spend more time in bars than you do in your own house. I’m surprised you still have the house, to be honest.”_

_John laughed darkly. “You’re takin’ over the family business it seems. Turning bars into your home away from home. Tell me, Dean, how much time do you spend at your house? Or do you even have a house? Do you just sleep in your office?”_

_Dean glared at his father. “What I do with my life is none of your damn business.”_

_“None of my business? That’s rich. I’m the one who raised you, Dean. I’m the one who brought you into this world. That makes it my business. I’m your father!”_

_Dean laughed almost as darkly, shaking his head. “You didn’t raise me. Mom raised me. And then when she died, I raised Sammy. You were too busy getting drunk off your ass.”_

_John slammed his second beer down on the kitchen table. “That’s enough, Dean! I don’t want to hear another word out of you!”_

_“Really? What, are you going to ground me? I’m an adult, one who doesn’t even live in this state anymore let alone this house. What could you possibly do?”_

_John straightened, staring at his oldest son. “You don’t want to provoke me, boy. I’ve had a long night-.”_

_“I don’t give a rat’s ass what kind of night you had. You deserved every second and more. You beat Adam up, for Christ’s sake! You deserve to be rotting in that jail cell, not out getting drunk so you can do it again.”_

_“That was an accident, Dean! I didn’t mean to.”_

_“You didn’t mean to?! Just like you didn’t mean to attack me the last time I was here? Or how about when you attacked Mr. Ramos three streets over? Or when you got into that bar fight and was in the hospital for a week. Or how about when-.”_

_“I get it, Dean! You don’t have to remind me of every mistake I’ve ever made every time you see me.”_

_Dean pushed off from the counter, taking a step closer to him. “No? Then how the hell are you going to learn from them? That’s what you’re supposed to do. When you make a mistake and wind up in jail, you’re supposed to learn from it and not do that again. But you just keep doing it over and over again. It’s a broken record with you. It always has been.”_

_John chugged down the rest of this second can of beer. “You know, Dean, I don’t need you standing here telling me how to live my life. I’m pretty sure I’m capable of making my own decisions.”_

_“The last time I checked, you weren’t capable of making any kind of decision that was anything besides what bar to go to, what kind of alcohol to drink, and who’s face to punch. The next time I get a call from Jody about you being locked up, I’m going to tell her to keep you there. That or to send your ass to a federal prison. Maybe then you’ll start learning from your mistakes. There’s no alcohol in prison. You’ll have no choice but to get sober.”_

_Suddenly John was directly in front of Dean, staring him down. His voice dropped to a menacing level. “You better watch yourself, boy. Otherwise Adam won’t be the only one calling the cops on me.”_

_Dean shook his head. “He’ll never be the only one calling the cops on you. All you do is cause trouble. You’re the town drunk. That’s all you do. You drink and get into fights.”_

_John braced his palms against Dean’s chest and shoved him back, hard. His lover back slammed into the edge of the counter. Dean hid his wince, knowing there was going to be a huge bruise on his back in no time._

_John pointed a long, meaty finger at him. “If I were you, I’d check my attitude before I opened my mouth next. Now, I’m going to go into the living room and drink another beer, watch some tv. I don’t wanna hear another word out of you, got that?”_

_Dean stared at him, not bothering to open his mouth. The only words coming to mind were nasty curses._

_He watched John grab a couple more beers before heading into the other room. His eyes slid shut and he rubbed his temples, trying to ease his growing headache. Before he could move, his phone went off. He pulled it out and instantly he felt a little better. It was Sam._

“Okay, so…that’s why you sounded so tense when I called you. Dad was being his usual self.”

Dean nodded, taking a gulp of water. “His old charming self.”

Sam shook his head, turning more towards the bar. It was obvious that everyone was listening intently to Dean’s story. They all were very curious to know what had happened. Jo leaned across the bar and rested a hand on Dean’s forearm.

“Do you want anything to eat? Benny’s back in the kitchen. I can have him whip something up. You should probably eat something. You know what? I’ll go give him your order.”

Dean’s eyebrow rose. “I didn’t even say anything.”

She shrugged, offering him a small smile. “Your usual. Double cheeseburger, extra greesy. Side of fries. Pie for dessert. I know you well, Dean.”

Dean chuckled as she walked into the back to give Benny his order and to probably fill him in on what was going on and what had happened so far in the story. Ellen was mumbling under her breath something along the lines of John being a good for nothing piece of something that Dean couldn’t quite make out, but he had a pretty good guess. Gabe and Cas were sharing a look and Sam was staring off into space, probably thinking about everything Dean had said so far.

When it was obvious Jo wasn’t coming right back, Sam turned back to Dean. “You might as well continue. We’ll fill her in later.”

Dean nodded. “Okay, well…I’ll skip the boring stuff. After we talked, I didn’t really do much. I went upstairs for a while to get away from him. Thought about just leaving town and coming back, but figured I’d stick around a while longer. Which…was a mistake.”

Sam’s brow came together in concentration. “Dean…what happened next?”

Dean nodded slowly, playing the events in his mind, not wanting to say them out loud, but knowing he had to. He took a breath and started his story back up.

_Dean heard a noise coming from downstairs. There’d been a soft thud followed by voices. Curious, Dean made his way through the upstairs and descended, trying to keep quiet until he knew what was going on._

_When he reached the bottom stair, he heard more voices coming from the living room. Dean was curious as to who in their right mind would be visiting his father. He appeared in the doorway to the living room and took in the sight of two fairly large men. They looked like they could easily be body builders._

_‘What the hell are guys like these doing with my father?’ He asked himself._

_“Who are they?”_

_John whipped around in his chair and glared at his son. “Not that it’s any of your business, Dean, but they’re buddies of mine from the cellblock.”_

_Dean’s eyes travelled from his father to the two men sitting on the couch. They both stood up, glaring daggers in Dean’s direction. “So…this is that piece of shit you call a son. The oldest right?”_

_John stood from his chair and took Dean in. “Yeah. The youngest couldn’t be bothered to show his face around here. Frankly, I’m surprised this one did.”_

_The blonde-haired one tilted his head, inspecting every inch of Dean, making him quite uncomfortable. “He looks like a pansy.”_

_Dean huffed. “I can handle a lot more than you think. I grew up with this asshole, so I had to.”_

_John snorted. “Nothing was wrong with your childhood. It’s your adulthood that’s fucked up. Can’t even be bothered to come see his old man, never mind up and leaving to go live in California with his little brother.”_

_Dean shook his head, “Admit it, you’d rather I be in California than here any day. That way I’m out of your hair and there’s no one nagging you about your drinking.”_

_John smiled crookedly. “You’ve got that right. I don’t really care where you are as long as it isn’t here. I always thought you were the good son, always obeying my orders, always doing what I said. And then you abandon me to go play house with Sam. You just forget you ever had a father, find a new family to come home to while I’m here. Everyone I loved is dead, Dean. Including you.”_

_Dean moved his head to the side in confusion. “What?”_

_A look passed in John’s eyes. It was a look Dean hadn’t seen in years. That look was the subject of nightmares he still suffered from to this day. That’s what told Dean that what was about to happen wasn’t going to be good. He tried backing out of the living room, but John was already advancing on him, moving quicker than Dean had seen him move in years._

_Before he could get out of the house, John’s hands were on him, throwing him back against the wall. Instead of just shoving him like earlier that day, John kept his hands on him, gripping his shirt tightly._

_“I’m going to make you wish you were never born, Dean.”_

_Fear seized in the pit of Dean’s stomach. He started fighting back, knowing what was coming. A fist was slammed into Dean’s stomach, forcing him to bend over a bit, playing into his father’s next move: a punch that landed directly under his eye._

_He started pushing against John, thinking that if he put all of his weight into it, he could get the man off of him enough for him to squeeze by. It worked, but not for long._

_John managed a kick to the back of Dean’s knee, bringing him down into a kneeling position. He was standing up when a pair of unfamiliar hands were shoving him down to the ground. The ball of fear in Dean’s stomach intensified as he realized that this fight wasn’t one-on-on, it was three-on-one. And two of them just happened to be the size of a linebacker._

_Dean kicked his legs out, hoping to strike one of his attackers. He threw his arms out, striking the blonde-haired man in the nose, hearing a satisfying crack. That only served to make him angrier. Punch after punch, blow after blow landed on Dean. He never gave up._

_He kept fighting back, throwing punches, blocking moves, kicking his legs out. He’d received several kicks to his rib cage and he was sure there were at least two broken ribs, possibly some cracked ones._

_Once his punches were growing weaker, less strength behind them, he was drug into the living room and beaten some more. John had delivered his fair share of blows, concentrating mainly on Dean’s face whereas the other two were aiming lower, going for sensitive spots._

_John held his hand up, causing the other two to halt their attack. He stared down at his son who was barely conscious. “I hope that teaches you a lesson, Dean.”_

_With one quick kick to the side of the head, Dean’s eyes closed and stayed that way._

**_SPN_ **

_Adam got out of his car and was walking towards his house when he noticed John and two other men walk out of the Winchester house a few doors down. The first thing he noticed was the blood. All three of them were covered in it. He ducked down behind his car so that they didn’t see him._

_Immediately, he pulled out his phone and dialed Dean’s number. It was turned off. The impala was sitting in the driveway, so Adam knew that Dean was home. He peered over the car and watched as they drove away in a car Adam had some once or twice before in passing. Once it was out of sight of the house, Adam jumped to his feet and raised across the lawns separating his house from the Winchester residence._

_He didn’t bother knocking. Instead, he threw the door open and started yelling. “Dean?...Dean?!”_

_He walked further into the house and found a small pool of blood. Off to the side, he saw something black. He picked it up and realized it was Dean’s phone, smashed._

_“Well, that explains why it was off…” Adam set the phone down and looked around. He noticed a trail of blood leading towards the living room. He stood and followed it, his stomach clenching, anticipating what he was about to find._

_His eyes followed the trail and came to rest on an unconscious Dean. He was bleeding from his head and face as well as some cuts on his arms. Adam lunged forward, yelling Dean’s name. He quickly felt for a pulse and momentarily relaxed when he felt the gently thump of his heart. It only lasted a moment however as he took in Dean’s body. He’d been beaten to near an inch of his life it looked like._

_Adam pulled his phone out and called Jody, knowing it’d be quicker than calling 9-1-1. After only a couple of rings, her voice carried over the line. “Hey, Adam. How’s it goin’?”_

_“Jody! You have to get over to Dean’s now. He’s hurt…bad. I just saw his dad and two guys leave the house covered in blood, so I figured I’d check on Dean. He’s unconscious and his pulse is weak.”_

_“Okay, Adam, listen to me. I’m on my way with paramedics. I need you to stop the bleeding, okay? Put pressure on any wound that’s bleeding badly. Keep a close eye on his pulse and breathing. I’ll be there as soon as I can.”_

_The line went dead before Adam could say anything. He slid his phone back into his pocket and did exactly as Jody had told him to do. The worst wound that was bleeding was coming from the side of his head, so he concentrated on that area. He continuously monitored Dean’s breathing and heartbeat, making sure he didn’t know on him unknowingly._

_Before he knew it, the door was opening and Adam heard people rushing into the house._

_“Adam!?”_

_“In here!”_

_He looked up to see Jody running into the room followed closely by paramedics. She sucked in a breath when she saw the condition Dean was in. Adam stepped back to give the medics room to work on his friend, keeping a close eye on him. Jody came up to stand beside him._

_“You said you saw John come out of here with two guys?”_

_Adam nodded, “They were covered in blood. The impala was in the driveway and Dean’s phone was off so I got worried. I came in to see if he was okay. I found a pool of blood by the stairs along with his smashed phone. Then I saw the trail of blood leading in here. That’s when I found him and called you.”_

_Jody nodded, reaching down to her radio and clicking it on. “I want an APB put out for John Winchester. He’s currently covered in blood and traveling with two other men.”_

_She let her radio go and turned back to Adam. “What did the other two men look like?”_

_Adam concentrated, knowing the information would greatly help find them. “They both looked like they could be body builders. They were huge. One was blonde and the other had dark hair. Both were wearing darker clothes, jeans.”_

_She clicked her radio back on and relayed the information to the squads currently out looking for the three men. They watched as the medics took Dean out of the house on a stretcher and into the back of an ambulance, following them as they went. As the ambulance was pulling away, Jody turned to Adam._

_“You wanna go to the hospital with me?”_

_He nodded, “Yeah. Someone needs to be there when he wakes up.”_

**_SPN_ **

_Dean groaned against the pounding in his head. Slowly, he opened his eyes and found himself in a hospital room._

_‘Great. I’ve been here for a day and I already land myself in a hospital.’_

_He looked around the room and found Adam watching him worriedly. “Hey there, kid.”_

_Adam attempted a weak smile. “How are you feeling, Dean?”_

_“Like I just got the shit kicked out of me. What the hell happened?”_

_Adam told him how he’d found him, that he’d been brought to the hospital. “I haven’t called Sam yet. I wanted to wait until you woke up to call him. I figured he’d freak out less if you were actually awake when he found out.”_

_Dean shook his head. “No, don’t call, Sam. He’ll only throw a bitch fit and find a way here. It’s better he finds out when I get back.”_

“Seriously, Dean? A _bitch fit_? You were in the hospital! Of course I’d freak out! I was already freaking out when I couldn’t get ahold of you!”

Dean rolled his eyes. “Yeah, but if you had known I was in the hospital, you would have skipped your classes and found a way to Kansas. No way was I letting you miss class just because of me.”

“Dean…you’re more important than some class I can make the work up for. My teachers would have understood that I had a family emergency and I could have gotten notes from someone in my class.”

Dean shook his head, taking a sip of water. His throat was getting dry with all the talking he’d been doing lately. “It doesn’t matter, Sammy. It’s done and over with. I’m back now, out of the hospital, and I’m fine.”

Sam pursed his lips together, but didn’t argue.

Dean nodded, “Okay then, now can I finish the story or are you going to keep interrupting me?”

Sam waved his hand as if to say carry on. So, that’s exactly what Dean did.

_Dean was informed that he did in fact of two broken ribs. He also had a cracked one and several were bruised. He had several bruises running the length of his torso, some extending down to his thighs. The doctors had been thoroughly shocked he hadn’t sustained any internal damage or bleeding. That had been the only good thing to come out of the ordeal._

_His face was pretty messed up. His nose had been broken and they’d been unable to set it properly due to all the damage that had been done. He had a nasty cut running from his right temple down the bottom of his jaw. His lip was split and he had a pretty wicked black eye._

_“Okay, so give me a prescription for pain meds and I’ll be on my way.”_

_Adam glared at Dean. “Dean. You were just almost killed. You need to stay here and get better.”_

_Dean shook his head, “No, I need to get the hell out of here and get back to the Roadhouse. I told them I’d only be gone for two days. What day is it?”_

_“It’s Thursday.”_

_Dean nodded, “Exactly. I got here yesterday, which means I should be home by tonight.”_

_The doctor shook his head. “I’m sorry, Mr. Winchester, but I won’t release you for at least a few more hours. I want to keep you under observation for at least that. You sustained a lot of damage to your body. And when you are released, you won’t be allowed to drive. You’ll be on pain medication which means you are strictly forbidden to operate a vehicle.”_

_Dean sighed, knowing that there was no use in arguing with doctors. He’d learned his lesson a long time ago. In that very hospital, in fact._

_Adam kept him company while he was in the hospital. Jody stopped by shortly after the doctor had forbade Dean from leaving. He assumed the doctor had called her and asked her to keep an eye on him, make sure he didn’t try to escape._

_It was several hours later when the doctor finally released him. He was given a prescription for pain medication and told not to drive. Jody gave both boys a ride to Adam’s house, telling Dean not to go home, not even to get his stuff given that the three men still hadn’t been found._

_Dean assured her that he wouldn’t. His bag was still in the backseat of the impala, he hadn’t bothered to take it in with him. The two of them trudged into the house and plopped down onto the couch. Well, in Dean’s case he sat gingerly trying not to jostle his painful ribcage._

_It wasn’t long before Adam passed out, exhausted from the stress of finding his friend bleeding and beaten on the floor and then sitting with him the rest of the night and the majority of the next day while he was in the hospital._

_It was exactly the chance Dean had been hoping for. He quickly scrawled a note to Adam, apologizing for sneaking out that way and promising to call him as soon as he could when he got back home. He left it laying where he’d been sitting before slipping silently out of the house and making his way over to his baby. He slid in carefully behind the wheel, cranked the engine, and pulled out of the driveway. It was going to be a long drive home, a dangerous one given he was on pain meds, but it was one he needed to make._

The bar was silent as Dean finished his tale. He looked up and around at his family and friends. They were all watching him carefully.

“What?”

Sam narrowed his eyes. “You snuck out on Adam and then drove all the way here while on pain meds? Are you insane, Dean?”

“No, I’m not, Sam. I wanted to get home and as far away from Lawrence as I could. If you didn’t hear, Dad still hasn’t been found. When he finds out he didn’t finish the job, he’ll come track me down. I’d rather I be here than with Adam, putting him in even more danger than he already was in. Here, I live alone and am putting no one in danger other than myself.”

Sam stared at him dumbly. “You’re not staying alone, Dean. There’s no way in hell. I’m not going to let Dad track you down and kill you. No, I’m staying with you.”

Dean shook his head. “No. You’re not. I refuse to let Dad lay a finger on you. I swore to myself when I was seven that I would never let him hurt you and I will not break that just because I have a couple of broken ribs and am hopped up on pain meds thanks to him. The answer is no. Final answer.”

Sam started to object, but Ellen placed a hand on his bicep. “Sam, it’s no use. Dean will never let you stay there while John’s on the loose like this. That’s why we have Benny stay there with Dean. Benny’s fully capable of defending himself.”

Sam wanted to argue, but eventually gave in, knowing it was pointless to argue against Dean let alone Ellen. “Fine, but he’s not going to be alone. Ever. Not until Dad’s caught. And those other two men.”

Dean rolled his eyes, but kept silent. He wasn’t up to doing much more talking. The pain meds were wearing off and he was definitely feeling it. Sam seemed to notice because his voice softened. “Dean, you don’t look so good.”

“Thanks, Sammy. You’re a real looker, yourself.”

Cas shook his head. “Sam is right, Dean. You really don’t look good.”

Dean rubbed a hand down his face, trying to keep a mask up so none of them could see how much pain he was really in. “Oh, I forgot to call Adam.”

Sam stood and made his way over to the phone. “I’ll call him. You go back into the office and lay down before you pass out.”

Dean nodded and stood. As soon as he got to his feet, he swayed. Thankfully, Cas was sitting right there and managed to reach out and steady him before he hit the floor. Dean looked up to see who’d grabbed his arm and was meant with the brightest blue eyes surrounded in nothing by worry. Cas stood from his stool and moved closer to Dean.

“Come on, I will help you.”

He tried to shrug him off, but it wasn’t happening. He finally gave in and let Cas help him back to his office. He was glad he did when his knee gave out halfway back and Cas was there to catch him. Cas pulled one of Dean’s arms over his shoulders, wrapping an arm around his waist. Dean let out a hiss of pain when his ribs were moved the wrong way.

“Are you okay, Dean?”

Dean nodded through the pain, his eyes squeezed shut. “Yeah. Just peachy.” He wrapped the arm that wasn’t over Cas’s shoulders across his ribs, trying to keep them in place as they walked. It was agonizing to walk the way they were, but there was no better way to get Dean back into the office.

They walked through the office door and immediately went to the couch. Cas helped ease him down as painlessly as possible. When they were both sitting, Cas turned to look at Dean, seeing the pain displayed openly on his face, his eyes squeezed shut.

“Dean…maybe you should take some pain medication.”

He nodded and reached into his pocket, pulling out a bottle of pills. He opened his eyes and looked around for something to take them with. Cas stood and exited the room, returning shortly after with a glass of water. Dean thanked him before popping some meds and relaxing back into the couch. He handed Cas the glass of water so he didn’t spill it and Cas set it down.

“Dean…I know we do not know each other well, but if you are uncomfortable with Sam staying at your house in fear of your father showing up, I will stay with you and make sure nothing happens to you. I know that it would ease Sam’s mind to know that you are not alone given you are in a great deal of pain and worried of your father’s arrival.”

Dean looked up into those bright blue eyes. “Cas, I couldn’t ask you to just drop everything and come stay with me. Besides, it’d be pretty boring given I can’t do much. I’ll probably sleep most of the time…”

Cas shook his head, a small smile coming to his lips. “I will not be ‘dropping everything’, Dean. I do not have classes on Fridays. I use them to grade papers usually, but I finished early this week. I have nothing planned for this weekend except to hang out with Sam and Gabriel. I would not mind the quiet. My apartment is usually quiet and you need your rest as much as you also need someone there with you. I will watch over you, Dean, as you recover. The quicker you heal, the more you can defend yourself if your father does show up. You can defend yourself and your brother.”

Dean took in his words. He knew them to be true. “Cas…I couldn’t live with myself if he showed up and you got hurt because of me…”

Cas shook his head once more. “I can take care of myself, Dean. Trust me, I have had more than my fair share of altercations in my lifetime. I also grew up with several older brothers who liked to ‘rough-house’. I also took karate lessons growing up as my father made me. I can defend myself. Dean…let me watch over you.”

Dean slowly nodded, his eyes slipping shut, unable to remain open any longer. “Thanks, Cas…my own guardian angel.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Long chapter, I know. So what did y'all think? Let me know!!! I love getting reviews! ^.^


	5. Relaxation and Friendship

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A weekend full of relaxation finds Dean and Cas at Dean's house. (It's kind of a slow chapter...Sorry. There's not much meat to it, I know. It feels more like a filler to me. Next chapter will be better, I promise!!)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Guys, I am so sorry for not updating in forever! It was my plan to have this chapter up a while ago, but of course life got in the way. My laptop went down for about a week and I haven't been able to write, so that slowed me down a bit. And then a couple of nights ago I got into a car accident...so that didn't help. Don't worry! Everyone in the car came out unscratched! Damn semi ran us off the road. Anywho...here's the chapter!! Be sure to check the end of the chapter for the upcoming contest details.

**Chapter 5**

Dean awoke in his own bed. He figured they must have been unable to wake him so they moved him themselves. Not that he minded, his bed was far more comfortable than the couch in his office was.

He slowly sat up, trying not to jostle his ribs too much. He looked down at his alarm clock to see that it was nearly midnight. He peeled the covers away and slid over to the edge. He briefly noted that he was missing the button-down he’d been wearing over his t-shirt as well as his socks and boots. Thankfully, he still had his pants on.

Dean pushed himself to his feet, forcing the pain that was trying to cloud his mind into the back where he could barely feel it. He made his way out into the living room of his decent-sized house where he found Cas reading a book on his couch.

“Hey, Cas.”

Cas’s head snapped up in his direction. When their eyes connected, Dean could see some relief flash briefly in his eyes before the blue was once again overcome with worry. He slid a bookmark between the pages and closed his book, sliding it onto the coffee table.

“How are you feeling, Dean?”

Dean shuffled towards the recliner and sat down carefully, hiding his grimace before Cas could see it. “I’ve been better. I’m guessing you and Sammy got me here?”

Cas nodded, “And Benny. Benny and I carried you to my car and then followed behind Sam coming here. After we got you to bed, Sam drove Benny back to the bar. I assured your brother that you would be perfectly fine without him sitting here aimlessly and that I would keep an eye on you to make him feel better.”

Dean nodded, slowly leaning back into the recliner and relaxing his body as best he could. “Good. That kid worries too much.”

“I agree, though in this case I understand his worry.”

Dean’s eyes flicked up to meet Cas’s. They were filled with worry and watching him carefully, looking for signs of pain. “Cas, I’m fine, really. My ribs hurt like hell, but I’m fine.”

Cas smiled softly. “If you weren’t alright, would you tell me? Or anyone for that matter?”

Dean smirked, shaking his head lightly. “No, probably not.”

Cas’s smile widened a fraction. “Do you need anything? Something to drink, eat? You didn’t get to eat while we were at the bar.”

It was then that his stomach decided it was the perfect time to protest. Cas chuckled, standing. “I’ll find something for supper. I haven’t eaten either. Anything you prefer?”

“Cas, buddy, you don’t have to. I’ll make us something, it’s my house.”

Cas appeared at Dean’s side as he tried to get up from the chair. He rested a firm hand on Dean’s shoulder, keeping him in place. “Rest, Dean. You need to let your ribs heal and they can’t do that if they’re being moved around so much. I do not mind making something. I have not had an opportunity to make food for anyone other than myself in quite some time. It would be my pleasure, really.”

Dean squinted his eyes slightly, taking the man in. After a few moments, he gave in. “Okay, if you insist.”

A smirk worked its way onto Cas’s lips. “Anything you would prefer?”

“Surprise me.”

Cas nodded and headed for the kitchen. On his way, he called over his shoulder. “Would you like anything to drink while you wait?”

Dean thought for a second before asking Cas for a can of soda he remembered seeing in his fridge one of the last times he’d been home. The can appeared in his hand a minute later.

“What? You’re not going to open it for me? I’m the injured one here.”

“You are perfectly capable of opening a can of soda, Dean. Unless you would like me to call your brother and tell him you are in worse condition than we originally thought?”

Dean rolled his eyes, but kept his mouth shut. He heard a soft chuckle come from the direction of the kitchen in response to his silence.

The house remained silent for a few more minutes apart from soft sounds coming from the kitchen. Dean took sips from his soda, letting his mind wander the slightest bit.

“Hey, Cas?”

There was the sound of running water before Dean heard an answer. “Yes, Dean?”

Dean was silent a few more moments. The water shut off and a moment later he heard the stove being turned on.

“You didn’t have to come, you know.”

More silence.

Dean was staring at the can he was holding with both hands when he heard footsteps walking towards the couch.

“I know. I wanted to.”

Dean raised one of his eyebrows the slightest bit. “Why? You barely know me.”

Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Cas nod. “That may be so, but I am hoping it does not stay that way for long.”

Dean’s head lifted, his eyes once again locking with the man he desperately wanted to figure out. “Why’s that, Cas? Because I’m your friend’s big brother?”

Cas shrugged, “That may be part of it, but I would like it if we could also be friends. From everything I have been told before meeting you and while you were gone, I would be interested in getting to know you better.”

Dean smiled softly. “What have you already gathered about me, Cas?”

Cas tilted his head slightly as he pondered the question. “You listen to rock music on cassettes. You drive a classic car that you cherish. Your brother means the world to you as you raised him yourself. You sacrificed your childhood in order to be there for your brother. Even though he has wronged you, you still care enough about your father enough to travel and bail him out of jail. Or you _did_ care enough about him. I am guessing that has changed. Your bar is everything to you, though not in the same way as it would be to your father. The thing you cherish most is your family and the friends you hold closest to you. I’m guessing you do not take relationships lightly after they turn serious. You seem like the kind of man who sticks to what he says he’ll do, keeps his promises, and protects his family. Am I right?”

Dean’s smile widened a fraction. “Am I really that easy to read?”

Cas’s eyes shined. “A little. I also had help from things the others said about you. They all think very highly of you, Dean. I have a feeling they would theoretically travel to the moon and back for you.”

Dean nodded, breaking eye contact. “Yeah…they would. I don’t know how I got so lucky to have a family like them.”

“It is because you are a good man, Dean. Men as good as you easily find family as wonderful as yours.”

Dean couldn’t help the slight blush that crossed his cheeks at the compliment. “Thanks, Cas.”

“You are welcome, Dean.”

Cas rose from the couch and headed into the kitchen. Dean mulled over his words while he was gone. The words brought the smile back to his face, keeping it there until he heard footsteps returning after several minutes.

“It will be ready in about ten to fifteen minutes.”

Dean nodded, taking a large gulp from his can, draining the remains. Cas sat on the couch and they were surrounded in a comfortable silence. Neither knew what to say, but that was okay. They were both satisfied with just sitting there quietly.

When Cas got up to check the food, Dean turned his head and spoke quietly, just loud enough for Cas to hear him from across the room. “I’d really like to be friends, Cas.”

Dean couldn’t see his face, but when he spoke, he knew there was a smile gracing his lips. “As would I, Dean.”

**SPN**

As they ate their supper, they talked near constantly. They filled in details on their lives the other didn’t know about, talked about aspirations they had, ideas thought up, books they both liked, movies they’d seen. They talked for hours, neither keeping an eye on the time. Their conversation continued until a yawn escaped from Dean.

Cas looked down at this watch and his eyes widened. “It’s nearly six in the morning, Dean. We have been talking for hours…”

Dean’s eyes widened just as much before another yawn came. “Damn…it doesn’t seem like it’s been that long.”

Cas nodded, standing and beginning to pick up their dishes. “You should get to bed, Dean. You need your rest.”

Dean rolled his eyes, though Cas didn’t see it as he was already almost to the kitchen. “Same with you, Cas. You’ve been up a long time. You need some sleep too. I have a guest room across the hall from my room. That’s where Sam usually sleeps when he stays. The bed’s already made. Sam refuses to leave until it’s made.”

Cas returned from the kitchen a moment later. “Okay. I will just do the-.”

“No, I’ll do them tomorrow. It’s the least I can do since you cooked in my own house. Besides, it’s way too early or late or whatever to be doing the dishes. They can wait for later.”

Cas chuckled, “As you wish, Dean. Do you need any of your pain prescription?”

It was only then that Dean could really feel that pain in his ribs. His mind had been completely off of it throughout their conversation.

He lifted his hand absently and rubbed his ribs. “Yeah, that’d be a good idea.”

He carefully stood from the recliner, trying not to move too much but failing. He couldn’t hide his hiss or the pain that flickered over his features. Cas was instantly at his side, a hand resting on Dean’s shoulder.

Dean opened his eyes to find bright blue worried eyes watching him. “I’m okay, Cas. Just stood up wrong is all.”

Cas nodded knowingly. “Come on, Dean. Let’s get you to bed.”

Dean smirked. “Damn, Cas, if you want to get me into bed, you have to buy me dinner first.”

“I think you are forgetting that I made you dinner.”

Dean paused mid-step back to his room. “Right. Well…uh, you know-.”

Cas chuckled, pushing him forward gently. “Do not worry, Dean. You will be sleeping alone tonight, I promise.”

Something stirred in Dean at that comment. He wasn’t quite sure what it was, but he didn’t like it one bit.

**SPN**

The entire weekend was spent at Dean’s house. The majority of the time it was just Cas and Dean alone together, getting to know each other, and enjoying each other’s company. Occasionally, Sam would stop by along with the rest of the gang. They all wanted to make sure Dean was okay, even after his insistence that he was perfectly fine. They all knew him far better than to believe him.

There were times when Dean tried to sneak out of the house and go to the bar, just to check to make sure it hadn’t burned to the ground in his absence, but Cas was too smart for that.

Cas insisted that Dean needed to stay home and rest in order to get better quicker, then he could spend that much more time at the bar. Once Dean stopped trying to escape, he was finally able to relax. The pain in his ribs was still there, but it was going down. Dean expected Cas to say ‘I told you so’, but it never came.

When Monday came and it was time for Dean to get to the bar and for Cas to get home to get ready for school, Dean felt himself wishing the weekend could last longer and the two of them could stay longer, talk more, and just…hang out. Something in Dean’s stomach was starting to turn again, but he pushed it down and told himself he’d think about it later when he had the time.

They both stepped outside and walked over to their separate cars parked side by side in the driveway. Standing in front of the cars, they paused, turning slightly towards each other.

“Thanks for, uh, hanging out this weekend. I guess it was nice not to have to worry about anything.”

Cas smiled. “It was my pleasure, Dean. You really should try to relax more often.”

Dean nodded, pulling his keys out of his pocket. “Yeah, I think you’re right. I’ll make you a deal, Cas. I’ll start relaxing more if you start coming around the bar more. You need to get out, hang out with friends and I need to relax. It’s a win-win.”

Cas chuckled, nodding his head. “You have a deal, Dean. I have to get home to get ready for work, but I suppose I will see you tonight.”

The smile that came to Dean’s face was the brightest it’d been in a very long time. In that moment, he was truly happy. Happier than he’d been in a long, long time.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay! Contest details! So...in the next couple of chapters there will be some references you'll need to catch. There will be some from the series and some from other tv shows and/or movies. I will not say what shows and/or movies. That's for YOU to tell ME. I want to know who's paying attention, not only to the destiel, sabriel, or whatever else is going on...but also to the WORDS.
> 
> The Prize? Hm...let's see. The winner will get to assist me in writing a chapter in the story. The chapter will be dedicated to the winner and will be from their ideas (and some of my own). The runner-ups will get characters named after them. There will be two runner-ups. The first will get a good character and the second will get either a neutral or semi-bad character named after them, depending on their preference. 
> 
> Now...I know a lot of people out there read this story. The views don't lie. So I want some participation!! Even if you don't know all of the references...still try to guess! The last contest I held on a story, I only had one participant...So, I'm really hoping this one is different!! Good luck to all!!


	6. Abuse, Death, and Happy Endings

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A couple of new characters are introduced into the story. Well, more than a couple, but two of them you know and possibly love! What's gonna happen when they work their way back into Dean's life?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So...I am very sorry to all of those out there who like Lisa Braedan. I usually do, but I find the way I wrote her in this chapter better than good!Lisa. For those of you who are interested in the contest (which I hope most to all of you are!) there are references in this chapter that you must try to find. They are from three different tv shows other than Supernatural. Good luck! ^.^ Let me know if you find them. 
> 
> Note: This will NOT be the only chapter a part of the reference contest. Trust me, there will be more references to come if you are unable to find these!!

**Chapter 6**

As the days passed, Cas spent more and more time at the Roadhouse. When he wasn’t in class or grading papers, one could probably find him at the bar with his friends. He’d stuck to his deal with Dean. Though it wasn’t the deal that kept him coming back. He truly enjoyed the friendship he found from the plaid wrapped, rough spoken, goofball. The more time Cas spent with the Winchesters, the more he found that Dean was really a giant nerd and a dork.

When he was able to let his personality show, he and Gabriel would take turns playing pranks on people together. The two bonded quickly over practical jokes and stupidity. Cas and Sam were the smart and responsible ones when it came to the four of them.

It wasn’t long before Dean and Cas were closer than Cas and Sam ever were. The two just clicked. They were able to really be themselves around each other. Sam was ecstatic for his big brother. Dean finally found something that made him happy. Sam couldn’t remember the last time he’d seen his brother that happy.

A few weeks passed allowing Dean’s ribs to heal and his relationships to grow. He became even more family-oriented if that were possible for him. He stuck to his deal with Cas and allowed himself to relax more often. Life started to de-stress for him and it was the first time in a very long time where he was really happy.

He could finally move without a rush of pain zipping up his back. Things at the bar were booming. He had a best friend who wasn’t his little brother. Life was finally looking up for him.

It was a Saturday. Business was running slow since it was late morning. The gang was all seated around the bar talking, having lunch, their usual Saturday routine as of late. Dean was in the middle of telling a story from when Sam was little when the door suddenly opened. They all stopped and looked up to see a teenager with dark hair and wide eyes standing in the doorway, one hand on the door. Dean’s breath caught in his throat.

“Ben…?”

Cas and Gabe whipped around to look at Dean. They’d both been told about Lisa and Ben. They both knew what had happened and that Dean wasn’t allowed to see Ben ever again.

Dean moved quickly around the bar and didn’t stop until he was in front of Ben who met him halfway. Before he knew it, Ben’s arms were wrapped around his waist. He wrapped his own around the boy and held him against his chest. The bar was silent as none of them knew what to say. Everyone had thought that the two would never see each other again.

“Dean…I-I didn’t know who else to go to.”

Dean pulled away and looked down into his eyes. He saw pain, worry, and fear reflecting back at him. He pulled Ben over to a stool and sat him down, looking into his eyes.

“Tell me what happened, Ben.”

Ben swallowed. “It’s Kolya. Mom’s new husband. His name’s Acastus Kolya. He has a bunch of money and I’m pretty sure that’s why Mom married him. It wasn’t that long after…you know…”

Dean nodded, his throat restricting slightly. He was over Lisa, had been for a long time, but it still pissed him off that she was able to just pick up and move on without so much as batting an eye.

“What about him?”

Ben swallowed again, looking away from Dean. “He…doesn’t like me very much.” Ben’s eyes flicked up to Dean’s as if trying to say something without actually saying it.

Dean’s brow furrowed. “What do you mean he doesn’t like you? Did he hurt you?”

Ben nodded slightly, the fear coming back into his eyes. “I told Mom, but she won’t do anything about it! He only ever does it when she’s not home, so I don’t know if she believes me or not. I just want it to stop! Dean…I don’t want to live there anymore. I’ve missed you so much…”

Dean’s vision turned red. This man was beating Ben, whom he thought of as his own son, and Lisa wouldn’t do a damn thing about it. Dean pulled himself out of his anger before he exploded. He pushed it to the back of his mind to think about in a minute.

“I know, Ben. I’ve missed you too, kiddo. Do you have any bruises…scars?”

Ben nodded shakily before pulling up his shirt. Along his ribcage was a giant bruise that was several different colors. There were more bruises on his hipbone. That’s when Dean noticed one on the side of his neck and on his arms. He started shaking his head.

“Where’s your Mom now?”

“At work, I think. She doesn’t know I’m here! She won’t even let me talk about you let alone see you…I don’t get it, Dean! Why can’t I see you anymore? I didn’t even get to say goodbye!”

Dean placed a hand on Ben’s shoulder, squeezing the slightest bit. “I know, Kiddo. I’m sorry about that. I don’t know if there’s anything I can do to change your mom’s mind about that…but I’m going to make sure this Kolya guy doesn’t lay another finger on you, okay?”

Ben nodded, “What are you going to do?”

Dean paused, thinking his words over. “I’m going to have a talk with your mother. Afterwards, I’m going to go talk to the police. If she wants to join me…all the better. For now…you’re going to stay here with Sam, okay? Benny’s gonna get you some lunch, anything you want, my treat. Jo will get you something to drink. I’ll come back for you when everything’s done, okay?”

Ben nodded. He was still scared, Dean could see that clearly. Dean forced a small smile to his lips and wrapped an arm around his shoulders, bringing him closer.

“It’s going to be okay, Ben. I promise. I’ll get this straightened out.” Dean seemed to realize there were two people in the room that Ben had never met. Dean looked up at Gabe and Cas who were watching him.

“Ben, I want you to meet a couple of friends of mine. I think you’ll like them. The one behind the bar is Gabe and that’s Cas sitting next to Sam.”

Ben looked up at the two men who were smiling at him. He forced a smile in return. “It’s nice to meet you. You must be good guys in order for Dean to call you friends.”

Dean chuckled, pulling him into a tight hug before letting him go. “I’ll see you soon, Kiddo.”

He turned and looked at Sam and the rest of them. “You take care of him. Get him what he wants.”

Sam nodded, “Of course, Dean. Just…don’t explode. You know how Lisa is. Exploding on her won’t do you any good.”

Dean nodded, grabbing his phone and keys before walking towards the door. “Oh I know. Don’t burn the place down while I’m gone, would ya? Otherwise, I’ll kill you. Have fun.”

He walked out the door before they could throw any remarks his way and walked over to his baby. Once he was inside, he let his thoughts consume him as he made the drive to Lisa’s work. She worked at a publishing firm and had her own office. That sure would make things a little easier when it came to actually talking to her about this.

When he arrived, he walked inside. The receptionist at the front desk looked up and her eyes widened. “Dean! I haven’t seen you here in…what? A year?”

He smirked, “Yeah. It’s been a while. Is she in? I really need to talk to her about something important.”

The lady nodded, “Yeah, I saw her come in earlier and she hasn’t left yet. Do you want me to let her know you’re coming?”

Dean shook his head, “Nah, I’ll make it a surprise. Thanks.”

She nodded, still in shock from seeing him. He moved through the lobby and into the elevator. He pushed the button for the fifth floor and leaned against the back wall, organizing his thoughts. He hadn’t seen his ex in over a year. They hadn’t exactly parted on good terms either. This wasn’t going to be a fun reunion.

The elevator doors opened and he stepped out tentatively. He looked around and saw some people walking around with files, determination written on some of their faces, boredom written on the others. He made his legs push him in the direction he knew her office was. He’d been there countless times when they’d been together. When he reached her door, he paused. He took in a deep breath, calming his nerves, and pulled the door open.

When he walked in, she was sitting there behind her desk reading something over. She didn’t even look up when the door opened so he closed it behind him quietly.

“Jason, have you brought those files with you?”

Dean stood there, waiting for her to look up. “No. I didn’t.”

Her entire body froze, knowing that voice. Her head slowly lifting, hoping her ears were deceiving her. Her heart sank to the pit of her stomach when she saw him standing before her, hands tucked into his jacket pockets, a hard expression on his face. She came to her feet shakily, her knees wobbling the slightest bit.

“Dean… _what_ are you doing here?”

He smirked. “It’s nice to see you too, Lis.”

She walked around her desk, but stopped before getting too close. “Dean…I haven’t seen you in over a year. We didn’t exactly part on good terms.”

He nodded, his gaze moving past her and around the room, trying to steady his nerves for the argument he knew was coming. “Yeah, I know. I haven’t had a reason to come see you since we broke up and you kicked me out. Until now, that is.”

“And what reason might that be, hm?”

His eyes found hers again and he held her gaze. “Ben came to see me.”

He saw her entire body tense even more than it already was. Her lips parted slightly. He saw a flash of worry go through her eyes before they were devoid of any emotion. “Why the hell did he do that? Where is he now?”

“He’s safe. He’s with Sam. He didn’t know where to go, who to turn to so he came to me. I’m glad he did too. I found some things out about what’s been going on the past year. And I have to admit, I’m not very happy about it.”

Lisa rolled her eyes, leaning back against her desk, her arms folded across her chest. “Oh, really? And why the hell should I care if you’re _happy_ with the way I’m living my life? You’re not a part of it anymore. You have no say in what goes on in my life no more than I have a say in what you do in yours.”

He nodded, “That may be so…but there’s no way in _hell_ I’m going to stand by and let some asshole hurt him, not when I can do something about it.”

She rose to her feet once more, taking a step closer. “Hurt him? You think someone’s hurting him? Please.”

He nodded, his hands tightening into fists inside his pockets. “Yeah, your new husband, Acustus Kolya. He’s been giving Ben a beating while you’re not at home. Ben says he’s not even sure if you believe him.”

Lisa shook her head, “There’s nothing to believe. He’s just trying to get attention.”

“Attention. You think this is all for _attention_?! Have you not seen the huge bruise covering his ribcage? Or how about the one on his hipbone? Or on his arms? Neck? Seen any of those? I’m sure there are more too. He’s your _son_ , Lisa! How can you seriously stand there and not take any of this seriously?”

She huffed. “Because it’s nothing. He got into fights at school, I’m sure. That’s where he’s getting the bruises.”

Dean was shaking his head, his vision turning red around the edges. “I can’t believe you…I always thought that out of everything bad I ever saw in you…at least you were a good mother. And now you don’t even have that going for you.”

Lisa took several steps closer to him until they were only a couple of feet away. “You listen to me, Dean Winchester. I am a damn good mother. I keep a roof over his head, I make sure he gets his homework done, I put food on the table. He has everything he needs.”

“Yeah, except for a caring, loving mother who _believes_ him when he’s hurt. Who will _stick up_ for him and _support_ him when something happens. He needs someone who will not only provide the necessities he needs, but also someone who will be there for him, listen to him, take care of him when he’s sick. If I remember correctly, I was the one who took care of him when he was sick while we were together. I took time off from work to stay home with him. You may be a good mother in terms of making sure he doesn’t starve or making sure he has somewhere to call home, but that’s where it ends.”

“How _dare_ you, Dean! How dare you barge into my office and accuse me of not loving my son! Not caring for him the way a mother should!”

“I’m not saying you don’t love him! I know you do. But you have a pretty shitty way of showing it. And this Kolya guy? He’s going to pay for what he’s been doing to Ben. I refuse to let him use that kid as a punching bag any longer. I’m going to the police. Now, you have two options. Either you can come with me and fight for your child’s safety or you can stay here and rack up more points against you. Your choice.”

Lisa shook her head, looking away from him. Her anger was rising. He could see it. “I can’t believe you, Dean. What gives you the right to just barge back into our lives like this?”

“A fifteen-year-old boy I care about as if he were my own son walked into my bar a little bit ago and told me his step-father is beating him while his mother doesn’t believe him. _That_ gives me the right. Either grab your purse or pick up your phone and call a lawyer.”

He turned and walked out the door, not giving her time to think about her options. As he was nearing the elevator, he heard heels coming towards him and knew she had grabbed her purse and was coming with him to the precinct. His fists unclenched the slightest bit and he let out a breath he hadn’t realized he’d been holding. This was going to be a long day.

**SPN**

Dean and Lisa walked into the police station together, silently. They hadn’t spoken hardly a word together since they stepped into the elevator back at her work place. They both knew that if they did, they’d just argue more.

Dean stepped up to a desk with a man sitting behind it. The man looked up and smiled at Dean. “Can I help you, sir?”

Dean nodded, “Yes, I need to speak to someone about filing charges of child abuse.”

The man’s expression immediately turned serious. “Okay, let me call a detective down and you can speak with him. If you’d just have a seat over there, he should be right down.”

Dean nodded, thanking him, and turned to have a seat as directed. Lisa followed, shaking her head. “It’s not child abuse.”

“Excuse me? How is using a fifteen-year-old boy as a punching bag not child abuse? He’s a minor.”

She was shaking her head again. “Acustas is not using him as a punching bag, Dean.”

He squeezed his eyes shut, pinching the bridge of his nose. He decided it best not to answer her, so instead he pulled out his phone and sent a quick text off to Cas.

_Hey, Cas. Just wanted to let you know Lisa and I are at the police station now. Waiting on a detective to come down to talk to us. How’s Ben? –Dean_

He locked his phone and rested his hands on his knees, waiting impatiently for both a response and for the detective to come down. He didn’t have to wait long for a response.

_He is doing fine under the circumstances. He has eaten lunch and Gabriel is now engaging him in several stories about you. Occasionally, your brother will join in. –Castiel_

Dean chuckled to himself, shaking his head lightly before texting him back.

_Of course they are. Just do me a favor and make sure they aren’t too embarrassing or inappropriate for a fifteen-year-old to be hearing about a father figure. –Dean_

Lisa kept glancing in his direction. “New girlfriend?”

Dean looked up at her, an eyebrow raising. “No. Just a friend.”

She nodded. “That’s how it starts. Smiling at texts, long phone conversations. Next thing you know…you’re in bed tangled up with no clothes on.”

He looked at her stoically. “I smile at some of Sam’s texts and frequently talk on the phone with him for a while. Does that mean I’m going to get all tangled up with him?”

She had the decency to blush, but didn’t comment further. He shook his head, looking back down at his phone as it vibrated again.

_I will try my best, Dean. I hope that Lisa is not driving you insane yet. How did she take you showing up in her office? –Castiel_

_Not well. Let’s just say it wasn’t a happy reunion. Here comes the detective. Let the others know what’s going on. I’ll get a hold of you when I can. –Dean_

He slipped the phone into his pocket as he stood up, sticking out his hand to greet the detective. “Detective Lance. I was called down about a case of child abuse?”

Dean nodded, “Dean Winchester. This is Lisa Kolya. Is there somewhere we can talk?”

Detective Lance nodded, “If you’ll follow me, we can go upstairs and talk privately.”

They nodded and followed behind him as they made their way through the police station and up to the second floor. They walked into a conference room where a lady offered them something to drink. They both declined, opting to get right down to business.

“So, Mr. Winchester, why don’t you tell me what’s going on.”

Dean nodded, resting his arms on the table. “I guess I’ll start at the beginning so it makes sense. Over a year ago, I was dating Lisa, here, and living with her and her son Ben. We didn’t exactly see eye-to-eye anymore and we broke up. I haven’t seen either of them since she kicked me out, but not by my choice. I wanted to stay in touch with Ben, but…Lisa wouldn’t have it. Earlier today, Ben walked into the bar I own and told me that she got remarried soon after the break-up, which was fine…until he told me about his step-father. He told me his step-father hits him, uses him as a punching bag while Lisa isn’t home. He also said that his mother doesn’t believe him.”

Detective Lance turned towards Lisa, his eyebrows raising. “You don’t believe your son when he says that his newly acquired step-father isn’t treating him right?”

Lisa looked flustered. “He is not beating my son. I don’t know how many times I have to say that.”

The detective looked confused. “Ma’am, if you’re so convinced that your husband is innocent, why did you come all the way down here with Mr. Winchester?”

“I came down here so that you don’t arrest my husband for doing nothing wrong! Dean didn’t exactly give me much of a choice. He said to either grab my purse and come with him or pick up my phone and call a lawyer.”

The detective nodded, looking back to Dean. “Did the kid say anything else?”

He nodded. “He said that this man doesn’t like him, that he doesn’t want to live there anymore. He told me that he didn’t know where else to go or who to turn to. Then he showed me the bruises.”

“What bruises?”

“He lifted up his shirt and there was a massive bruise across his ribcage and then another one on his hipbone. That’s when I noticed the ones on his arms and neck. I’d been so happy to see him after so long…I hadn’t even noticed them…”

Detective Lance nodded. “Where’s the boy now? What’s this man’s name?”

“He’s with my brother at the bar I own. It’s called The Roadhouse Bar & Grille. His name is Acustas Kolya. I’ve never met him or even heard of him before today.”

“Okay. This is what I’m going to do. I’m going to go run Kolya’s name, see if anything pops up. I’ll bring back some paperwork with me for you to file. Then we’ll need to go pay a visit to both Acustas and to Ben, get both of their statements before anything will be done.”

Dean nodded, looking sideways at Lisa who’d remained oddly silent throughout the conversation. Once Detective Lance was out of the room, the door shut behind him, Dean turned towards Lisa. “No comment from the peanut gallery?”

She shrugged, looking at him. “What am I supposed to say? They’ll run his name, see he has no priors. Then they’ll talk to him and see what a nice guy he his. They’ll talk to Ben and see that he’s obviously lying. Then life will go back to normal, the way it should be. Without you.”

Dean shook his head. “Whatever you want to believe, Lisa.”

They sat in more silence for a good fifteen minutes. Dean had texted Cas to let him know they’d spoken to the cops and what all was going to happen. He told Cas to prepare Ben for when they got there, though he didn’t know when that would be.

The detective entered the room with another cop and introduced him as Detective John Sheppard. He would be the officer to go talk to Kolya while they talked to Ben.

“Now…we looked up Acustas Kolya…and we found that he does have a record.”

Lisa sat up straight, shaking her head. “No, you must have the wrong man. He’s never done anything illegal in his life. He’s a good man.”

Detective Lance glanced at Dean before opening a file and sliding it in front of Lisa. “Is this your husband, ma’am?”

Lisa stared down at the picture in shock. “Y-yes, but…this can’t be right. He doesn’t have a record.”

“Well, I’m afraid he does. Assault, Aggravated assault, assault with a deadly weapon, B&E, resisting arrest…Citizen of the year even has a warrant out for his arrest issued by the FBI for reasons that are sealed. We don’t even know why he’s wanted by them. You picked yourself a real winner, Miss.”

Lisa was shaking her head. “No, you have the wrong Acustas Kolya. It has to be. The man I know would never do anything like that.”

“Well, I’m afraid he has you fooled. Do you know where he is?”

She bit her lip, staring down at the file. Dean furrowed his brow. “Lis, you have to tell them if you know. Otherwise it’s obstruction. You can be charged and that will be no good to Ben.”

Her voice dropped to barely above a whisper. “He’s at home. He’s between jobs right now.”

“Where exactly is home?”

A beat passed before the address slipped from her lips and Detective Sheppard was out the door calling for his partner and some extra men to go with him. Detective Lance looked at Dean. “Where’s your bar located?”

“About fifteen minutes from here over on West second.”

He nodded, “Okay, let’s head that way and see what Ben has to say. You drive?”

Dean nodded, “Black ’67 Impala, hard to miss.”

“Okay, I’ll follow behind you. Let’s get going.”

Dean nodded, standing and moving out of the room. He sensed more than saw Lisa following him. He pulled his phone out and sent a quick text saying they were on their way with cops. He didn’t mention that Kolya was about to be in custody.

**SPN**

Dean pulled into the parking lot of the Roadhouse and parked where he usually parked, off to the side where he wasn’t in anyone’s way. The cop pulled him next to him and they all got out. Detective Lance had brought along his partner, Detective Sweets. Dean could see the guy was new to the job and a bit…uneasy.

Dean lead the way into the bar, noticing there were booths filled and some stools occupied. Charlie was waiting on a booth near the back, Jo was passing out drinks near the pool table, Gabe was wiping down the bar, and Ben was sitting in a booth with Cas and Sam. He was glad they’d had the foresight to move Ben to a booth before the cops showed up otherwise he’d be in big trouble for allowing a minor to sit at the bar.

He walked towards them and the three looked up. They saw who was behind him and Ben’s eyes widened. “Mom?”

Lisa stepped forward and glared at her son. “Why the hell would you go to Dean of all people? All for a bunch of lies?”

Detective Lance stepped forward, placing a hand on her shoulder. “Ma’am, if you don’t mind, we’d like to talk to your son without you yelling at him for anything.”

Lisa was about to make some kind of remark, but the detective turned away and looked at Dean. “Is there an office or somewhere we can all talk?”

Dean nodded, “I’ll take you back to my office.” Dean turned to Ben and jerked his head for him to follow before shooting a glance in the direction of Sam and Cas. The two detectives then followed Dean, Ben, and Lisa back into the back of the bar and into his office where it the door was shut behind them.

Dean leaned against his desk as Ben sat down on the couch, feeling very uncomfortable. Detective Lance sat down on the edge of the couch next to him. “Hey there, Ben. My name is Detective Lance and this here is my partner, Detective Sweets. We’re with the local police. Dean here has informed us that you’ve been having some trouble with your step-dad? Want to tell us what happened?”

Ben nodded, “At first everything was fine. Kind of awkward given it hadn’t been that long since Dean had left…but it was fine. Then one night when Mom was still at work, he came into my room and started yelling at me. I didn’t even know what he was yelling at me _for_. He started calling me an idiot, saying how I didn’t get good enough grades, anything he could think of really. For a couple of months that’s all it was. It was just him yelling. I didn’t know how to tell Mom, so I didn’t. Then…after he was done yelling, he would start hitting me. I tried to fight back, but…he’s a lot stronger than I am. Whenever I would fight back, it just got worse. I tried talking to Mom about it, but…”

Ben looked up at Lisa, his eyes shining with tears Dean knew he refused to shed. Detective Lance leaned forward the slightest bit. “But what, Ben?”

“But…it was like she didn’t believe me. I tried showing her the bruises, but she’d make some excuse that I must have gotten into a fight at school or fell down while playing football. Which, sure, some of the smaller ones came from football, but not the bigger ones.”

Lance nodded, “Can we see them? Do you mind showing us?”

Ben shook his head and stood up. He lifted his shirt enough so that they could see the full extent. Lisa’s brow furrowed. “You didn’t show me these bruises.”

Ben nodded, “Yes, I did. You made an excuse for them like you always do, how I’m just a bad kid.”

Dean shook his head. “You’re not a bad kid, Ben. Don’t ever let anyone make you think otherwise.”

Lisa snapped her head around and glared at Dean, which he ignored. He was concentrating on Ben and the detectives. “So, what’s going to happen now?”

Lance looked up at Dean. “Well…we’ll have to call it in to DCFS and child services. Given that the mother has paid absolutely no attention to the well-being of this child…he’ll have to go into a foster home for the time being, until somewhere else can be found for him.”

The two detectives made a move towards the door. “Ben, you’ll come with us back to the station. If you brought anything with you, may want to grab it.”

Dean stood up and was about to say something when Lisa started yelling. Dean was pretty sure everyone in the main area of the bar could hear her loud and clear. “Don’t you dare take away my child! I have done nothing wrong! I am a good mother, damn it!”

Lance turned towards her while motioning for Sweets to take Ben out of the office. “Ma’am, I’m going to have to ask you to calm down. It’s not permanent that he goes into the care of child services, just until we can get this whole situation sorted out. I’m sure you underst-.”

“No, I do _not_ understand! You will _not_ take away my little boy! I refuse to let you!”

Dean placed a hand on her arm, which she shrugged off violently. “Lisa, you don’t exactly have a say in the matter right now. Just go with it and see what’s going to happen. Call your lawyer and see what he suggests you do.”

Lisa was shaking her head, glaring daggers at the detective. Lance looked up and was about to say something to Dean when Lisa lunged at him. It was a small office, so there wasn’t much room to do anything or to react. They tumbled to the ground and Detective Sweets reappeared in the doorway, Ben nowhere in sight.

It all happened so fast from there. Dean wasn’t even sure what all had happened, _how_ it had happened. He had gone to try and get Lisa off of Lance. He had managed to pull her off of him and to her feet. Lance was mostly on his feet again when she went to strike again, this time somehow ending up with his gun. Before Dean knew it, two shots rang out through the office before everything went dead silent.

It was as if everything was happening in slow motion. Lisa’s body started falling backwards and Dean caught her, sending them both to the ground. “Lisa! Lis…No, keep your eyes open. Damn it, Lisa. Keep your eyes open.”

He was putting pressure to the wounds, faintly hearing Lance call for an ambulance. He could hear running footsteps, could hear screaming off in the distance. He heard his name being called, possibly by his brother or maybe Cas. He heard Ben’s voice calling for his mother, for Dean.

He couldn’t take his eyes away from the fading light in Lisa’s eyes. She looked up at him, the life leaving her body quickly. “Take care of my son.”

Dean nodded, feeling as if he were moving through molasses. “Of course I will. You have my word.”

He knew she wasn’t going to make it. He watched the light leave her eyes, felt her body go slack and still. He held her to his chest, just staring into her lifeless eyes. He could hear yelling still, talking, his name, Lisa’s name, crying. He never noticed the tears that travelled down his face. He didn’t notice the blood that covered his hands, his arms, his shirt. He didn’t care. It was blood that shouldn’t be there. All because Lisa made a mistake and attacked a police officer. Now she was dead. There was no bringing her back.

After a moment, he felt himself being pulled to his feet and out of the office. He saw Benny and Jo standing by the grill, watching in horror. He saw Sam wrap his arms around a crying Ben. He saw Cas’s wide eyes taking him in, making sure he wasn’t the one who had been shot and killed. He felt numb. He wasn’t even sure if that had just happened or if it had all been a dream, a sick and twisted fantasy.

It wasn’t until half an hour later when he was sitting in a booth, the bar completely empty aside from crime scene units, police officers, and his family. Gabe, Charlie, Jo, and Benny were all giving their statements to separate officers. Cas was sitting across of Dean in the booth, giving him his space, knowing he wasn’t in the mood to talk. Next to him was Ben. Dean had his arms wrapped around him and Ben was leaning into his chest. He was just as numb as Dean felt. There were tear tracks on the kid’s face from countless tears.

Sam sat next to Cas, watching Dean and Ben probably waiting for either or both of them to have a mental break-down. Thankfully, Ben had been back in the main area when the gun shots rang through the air. He hadn’t seen his mother get shot nor the life leave her body. He hadn’t even seen her body at all. Benny had held him back while Sam had rushed to his side to take over.

They sat that way for a while, no one uttering a word. Finally, Detective Lance walked up to the booth, sadness in his eyes. Dean finally moved and looked up at him. “Detective. What’s going to happen now? Lisa’s parents died three years ago and she had no other family.”

Lance nodded, playing with his hat. “Yeah, I just got off the phone with child services. He’s going to be taken to a foster home. He’ll be well taken care of and-.”

Dean was shaking his head and on his feet. “No, I won’t let him be taken to a foster home. He can’t grow up in one of those, getting shipped from house to house where no one wants him.”

Lance shook his head. “Dean, I don’t like it as much as you don’t, but there’s nowhere else for him to go. Unless you know of somewhere else then my hands are tied. I’m sorry.”

Dean shook his head again. “He can come live with me.”

Ben’s head snapped up as well as Sam and Cas’s. They all stared at Dean, none of them knowing what to say, none of them expecting it.

Lance shifted from one foot to the other. “Dean, that’s a lot to manage, running a bar and raising a fifteen-year-old kid who isn’t even yours.”

Dean shook his head firmly. “You’re wrong, Detective. When Lisa and I were together, I was the one who raised him. I loved him as if he were my own son. I still do. I was running this bar just as well as I am now. He’s a good kid. He may not be my son by blood, but blood doesn’t make you family, Detective. Blood has nothing to do with it. He is my son and he is coming home with me.”

There was a long moment where the two men stared at each other before Lance nodded, a small smile coming to his face. “You make a good father, Dean. I’ll get the paperwork started and contact child services. Tomorrow the two of you will have to come down to the station and start filling out paperwork saying you will take over as legal guardian. That is…if that’s okay with Ben.”

They both turned towards him and all they could see in Ben’s eyes was hope. “Really? I can go live with Dean?”

Detective Lance nodded, seeing the bond the two of them had and knew that it would be good for both of them for Dean to take over as legal guardian. “Yeah, kid, you can go live with him. The court will have to legally decide, of course, but the chances you can stay with him are extremely high.”

The smile on Ben’s face pulled at Dean’s heart. It warmed him down to his toes to know that Ben still loved him that much. The sadness was still there in Ben’s eyes from losing his mother, but that was understandable. It would have been strange not to see it, worrisome even.

Dean nodded down at Ben, allowing a small smile to break through onto his face. Things were looking up for the two of them. It was like a knife stabbing into his chest that it took Ben being beaten and Lisa’s death for him to get his son back into his life, but…those were two things that were in their past and they would move past both in one way or another. They had each other to lean on and that was what they both needed. That was what was going to help them both.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So. Did anyone find any references? Let me know!! I will write down your names (or usernames) and how many references you find. I will keep track. Also, if you are signed in as a guest, please give me some kind of name or username to write you down as. It makes it easier than Random Guest #13. Good luck to all!!


	7. Life After Death

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dean deals with some issues he needs to work through with the help of some important people in his life. Ben and Dean have a nice talk about what's going on.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay! Here is the next installation in the references contest!! So far there are 4 people tied who guessed 4 of the 6 references in the last chapter. They are: Inferification, cmc557, Huntress79, and darkbloodynightmare38.
> 
> I will make it a little easy on you and say there are only 3 in this chapter. The next one is all planned out and will be riddled with references if all goes as planned! Enjoy!

**Chapter 7**

Dean wiped up a puddle of beer from the counter. He was lost in his thoughts as he was doing on a regular basis ever since Lisa’s death. It was difficult for his friends to bring him out of his own head. He’d been over Lisa for a long time, but watching her die that way had taken a toll on him. He’d never watched the life leave another human being before and he never wanted to see that again.

“Dean. Dean…Dean!”

Dean’s head snapped up. “What? Were you saying something?”

Sam rolled his eyes. “Actually, I was. I was asking you when Ben was gonna get here.”

Dean clicked his phone on briefly to check the time. “In about an hour. He has football practice today. Why?”

Sam shrugged. “Just curious. How’s he been doing?”

Dean looked away from his little brother, back towards the counter. “You mean since his mother was killed by a cop after attacking one? All because he ratted on his step-dad for beating him? Oh, you know. Just fine.”

Dean could practically hear Sam roll his eyes. “Dean…you should probably know something.”

“What’s that, Sammy?”

Sam cleared his throat, shifting on the stool. He shared a quick glance with Gabriel that Dean didn’t catch. “We, uh…when we heard the gun shots…we didn’t know what had happened. We all thought it might have been you who was shot. The cops weren’t saying anything. They wouldn’t even let us go back there…They only let us go into the kitchen. They wouldn’t tell us what happened.”

Dean’s green eyes lifted until they met Sam’s hazel ones. He didn’t say anything, so Sam kept going. “We all thought you’d been shot, Dean. Ben was freaking out. He kept calling your name. He was calling for both you and Lisa. And then…when you were pulled out of that room covered in blood…Ben was relieved. I think…If I were him…I’d feel guilty for being relieved that you were okay and not his mother. And then when you took him in…he got his wish. He’d said earlier that day that he wanted to come live with you. And now he is at the cost of his mom.”

“It’s not his fault. None of this is his fault.”

Sam nodded, “I know that, Dean, but…he might not. Maybe you should talk to him. You’re the only one he’ll listen to.”

Dean nodded, biting his lip. He knew that if he were in Ben’s position, he’d be blaming himself. Hell, he _was_ blaming himself. He kept thinking if he hadn’t gotten Lisa involved she’d still be alive or if he would have stopped her from attacking Detective Lance, she wouldn’t have been shot, or if he could have just pushed her out of the way of the bullets, maybe she’d be okay. His mind had been laced with these thoughts ever since he’d been pulled out of that room covered in her blood.

“Yeah. Yeah, you’re right. I’ll talk to him.”

Sam’s brow furrowed. “Dean, are you alright? You’re not blaming yourself, are you? Because there’s nothing you could have done.”

“Of course I don’t, Sam. That cop killed her. He was the one who squeezed the trigger and took her away from her son. He was the one who drained the life from her body. All I did was stand there, so why the hell should I be blaming myself? I didn’t squeeze the trigger. I didn’t push her in front of the bullets. I didn’t make her attack that detective. I was just the one who got her involved in the first place. No goddamn reason to blame myself at all.”

He threw the towel down onto the counter and stormed into the back. He was headed for his office, but came up short in the doorway. He stared at the spot where she’d died in his arms. He hadn’t been able to bring himself to come into his office yet, but this time he took the steps he needed. Once inside, he closed the door, locked it, and then sank down along the wall, staring at that spot. The spot that changed his life forever. The spot that was still darkened by the loss of someone’s life. He would never look at that spot on his office floor the same way ever again.

He didn’t know how long he’d been sitting there before he could hear his door knob rattling and then open a minute later. He knew his friends better than to leave a locked door alone. He didn’t take his eyes away from that spot as someone closed the door and slid down to sit next to him against the wall.

“You know…it really isn’t your fault, Dean. There is nothing you could have done to prevent it and you were right for getting her involved in the situation just as much as Ben was right for getting you involved.”

Dean nodded along with the words, his body too numb to allow him to say anything. He felt a hand slip into his own and he finally broke free from his trance to look down and see fingers intertwined with his own and an arm covered in a tan trench coat. His eyes slowly moved upwards until they were met by striking blue ones gazing at him.

“When did you get here, Cas?”

“Just a few minutes ago with Ben. Sam told me what happened.”

Dean nodded, thinking over the words. Not sure what to say to keep a casual conversation. There wasn’t anything _for_ him to say to keep it casual.

“Cas…I don’t know how to be a single parent. Not a single parent to a teenager who just lost his mom. I don’t know what to do, what to say. Hell, I hadn’t even seen the kid in a year before that day.”

Cas nodded. “You’ll figure it out, Dean. You’re very smart. He loves you very much and you love him. That’s what matters. You stood up for him when no one else would. You took him in where there was no one else. That makes a difference to a teenager, believe me. There will be days when it is difficult and there will be days when it will be easy. For those that are difficult, you will not be alone, Dean. You will never be alone. You have a lot of people in your life who will always be there for you: Sam, Jo, Ellen, Bobby, Benny, Gabriel, Charlie…Me. It’s times like these when family comes in handy.”

Dean leaned his head back against the wall, staring into Cas’s eyes. “What do I say to him? How do I make him see that it’s not his fault?”

Cas blinked, thinking his words over carefully. “You tell him that he did the right thing by coming to you and telling you. You tell him that his mother acted of her own volition when she attacked that police officer. You tell him that it was no one’s fault but that of the person who squeezed the trigger. When he tries to reject your words, you assure him that you will always be there for him, that you tried to save her by stopping the bleeding. You tell him that he has a new family, one that will have his back no matter what. He is not alone.”

A small smile came to Dean’s lips as he tasted the saltiness of his own tears. He hadn’t even realized he’d started crying. He went to go wipe the tears away, but Cas beat him to it. He slowly, gently wiped the tears from Dean’s face, only to have more trickle down.

“Thank you, Cas. For everything.”

A smile was poking against his lips as Cas nodded, “You are very welcome, Dean. That is why I am here. I am here for you and for Ben if he shall need me as much as I am here for your brother and any other member of our little family.”

They sat there in silence, neither kept track of the time. They were sucked into their own thoughts as well as the other’s eyes. Dean was wondering if something had changed between them, if suddenly they were more than best friends now. Cas _was_ holding his hand, after all. Cas was thinking the same thing.

A knock came on the door suddenly and the two let their hands go. Dean quickly wiped his cheeks of wetness before standing up and opening the door. Ben was standing there, his book bag on his shoulder. “Hey, Dean. Everything okay?”

Dean nodded and opened the door wider for him to enter. Cas immediately noticed that Ben specifically didn’t look in the direction of the dark stain near Dean’s desk. “How was school, Ben?”

Ben nodded, taking a seat on the arm of the couch, the furthest he could get away from the desk. “Okay. Parent-teacher conferences are tomorrow, by the way. One of my teachers said she wants to see you. Something about getting to know the new legal guardian or something.”

Dean nodded, “Okay. What time?”

“It starts at five. I’m not supposed to go though. What do you want me to do after school? We don’t have practice because of the conferences.”

Cas stood from where he was seated on the floor. “You can come to the University until I am done and then we can get dinner while Dean is at the conference.”

Dean looked up at him. “You sure, Cas?”

He nodded, “Yes, Dean. I would not have suggested it if I were not sure. I do not mind as I pick him up from practice and bring him here as it is. I find the time we spend together rather interesting.”

Dean couldn’t help the small smile that came to his lips. He looked over at Ben to get his okay. When Ben nodded, he looked back at Cas. “Thanks, man. I appreciate it.”

Cas nodded, not needing to say anything further. Dean looked back at Ben, noticing that he was clearly avoiding that spot and getting more and more uncomfortable being in that room. “Come on, Ben. You eaten anything yet?”

He shook his head and stood up as Dean put his hand on his shoulder, guiding him out of the office. “Let’s go home and I’ll cook us some supper. How does that sound?”

Ben nodded as they all headed out into the bar. Sam and Gabe looked up when the doors swung open, revealing the three men. Dean walked behind the bar and grabbed his phone. He looked up at Gabe and Charlie who had just walked up to the bar. “Ben and I are going home. If you need anything, I’ve got my cell.”

They all nodded as they watched Dean and Ben walk towards the door. Right before they left, Dean looked over his shoulder and smiled at Cas. “Thanks again, Cas. I owe you one.”

Cas merely shook his head. “You don’t owe me anything, Dean.”

Dean’s smile widened a fraction and he stepped through the door. They both climbed into the impala and headed for home.

**SPN**

Sam looked over at Cas and raised an eyebrow. “What was that all about?”

Cas looked up from his beer. “What do you mean?”

Sam huffed slightly and shifted on the stool. “Dean thanked you and said he owes you one. Why does he think he owes you one? And what was he thanking you for?”

Gabe walked over nodding. “Samsquatch sure is nosy, but I’m just as nosy and I wanna know. So spill, Cassie.”

Cas rolled his eyes. “I simply talked to him about what was going on. When Ben walked back there, he told Dean that he has to go to parent-teacher conferences tomorrow and I offered to take Ben out for supper while Dean is at the meeting. It is no big deal, really.”

A smile almost split Gabe’s face in half. “So…you’re sharing custody of Ben with Dean? How cute!”

Cas looked up at him, glaring. “I am not ‘sharing custody’. For me to share custody of Ben, Dean and I would have to previously been in a relationship. We have never been in a relationship, so therefore it is irrelevant.”

Sam rolled his eyes. “Gabe means that you’re helping Dean out with Ben a lot. It’s like you’re Ben’s second parent instead of Dean being on his own. Not that he’s exactly on his own…but he’s the only adult who lives there…so…”

Gabe was the one to roll his eyes this time. “We get it, Moose. Dean’s a single parent. It’s Daddy Dean on his own and Cas is making his way in as Mama. Or…would it be Mama Dean and Daddy Cas?”

Sam played with his near-empty beer bottle. “Well…Dean _does_ clean. And he cooks a lot.”

Gabe nodded, looking at Cas. “Nice moves there, Cassie. The only question is…When are you going to make _the_ move?”

Cas tilted his head slightly to the side. “What move are you referring to?”

Sam chuckled, and gestured with his hands outward. “You know…with Dean?”

Cas simply raised an eyebrow in answer, clearly not comprehending what they were referring to.

Gabe shook his head and looked at Sam. “We should just hit them both over the head with a frying pan and shove them in a closet. That way they can both come out together and everything will be hunky dory.”

Sam couldn’t help the fit of giggles he erupted in at the look of utter confusion plastered to Cas’s face coupled with what Gabe had said. “Got any frying pans laying around handy?”

Gabe looked around the bar as if he were actually expecting a frying pan to be sitting inconspicuously somewhere within sight. He shrugged, looking back at Sam. “Maybe another time.”

Cas looked between the two men. “What is so funny about a frying pan? They are merely used to cook eggs. I do not see the comedy in such a mundane item.”

Gabe shook his head, closing his eyes for a brief moment before opening them once more and starting over. “How about we try it this way…If you’re a bird, then Dean’s a bird too.”

Cas tilted his head to the side. “I do not understand. Are we hitting birds with frying pans too?”

Gabe shook his head in Cas’s direction before walking away to polish some glasses, muttering under his breath something like ‘hopeless’.

**SPN**

Dean put the dishes in the sink to start soaking, deciding to finish them later. He needed to talk to Ben before he went to bed. He walked out of the kitchen and down the hall towards his bedroom. He was glad that they were going to get a new house. The house they were in was barely big enough for the two of them, let alone when Sam or Cas came over to stay. In the past, he’d sometimes have Benny, Ash, Jo, Sam, and whomever over all at once. This house was just getting smaller.

Dean knocked on the door before pushing it open after hearing a response to come in. He walked in and found Ben sitting on his bed typing away at his laptop. Ben looked up at Dean. “What’s up?”

Dean stepped into the room. “Could we talk?”

Ben nodded, shutting the laptop and setting it aside. Dean sat down in the desk chair, rested his elbows on his knees and put his hands together, thinking his words over carefully.

“You know I’m not exactly a big talker when it comes to feelings…”

Ben raised an eyebrow. “Yeah, I got that from when you were with Mom. What’s up, Dean? Is something wrong?”

Dean shook his head. “No, I’ve just been thinking and I wanted to talk to you about something. I, uh…What the hell, no point in beating around the bush. Do you blame yourself for what happened with your mom?”

Their eyes locked and Dean saw something flash in his eyes momentarily. “…No, why would I? I wasn’t the one who squeezed the trigger or anything. Why would you think I did?”

Dean shook his head slightly. “Because _I_ do. Cas already called me out on it, so I might as well confess. I was the one who got your mother involved. Hell, I was standing right behind her when it all went down…I know that I shouldn’t blame myself. I know that. Sam’s told me, Cas has told me. But I can’t help it. Your mother still meant a lot to me, Ben, even after everything that we had been through. I still loved her.

“There’s no reason for either of us to blame ourselves, but it’s only natural. You lost your mother. Flawed as she was, after the mistakes she made, she was still your mother. Sam…Sam told me that you were calling my name after the gun went off.”

Ben bit his lip and looked away. Tears were threatening to fall over, but he held them in. Dean continued. “Earlier that day…you had told me that you wanted to come live with me. You didn’t want to live with them anymore. Nothing happened because you said that. Because you said that…that’s why I asked if you could come live with me.”

Ben’s head snapped in his direction, confusion in his eyes. “Why wouldn’t I want to come live with you? You’re…the only father figure I’ve ever had.”

Dean smiled softly at him. “I know. But I hadn’t seen you in a year…a lot can change in a year. I never got to say goodbye…I didn’t know if you even wanted to see me at all, let alone come live with me.”

Ben nodding, looking down at his hands. “Well…I missed you a lot during that year. Mom changed when you left. She wasn’t herself anymore, and not just when she met Kolya. She was happy with you, fun to be around. When you were gone…I never wanted to be home. That’s why  I joined sports. It got me away from the house.”

Dean nodded, sighing. “Your mom was a lot of things, Ben, but if one thing could be said about her…she always loved you. Did I…Did I tell you the last thing she said to me that night before she died?”

Ben looked back up at Dean, shaking his head. Curiosity was written all over his face. Dean smiled softly. “The last thing she said to me…was ‘Take care of my son.’ She loved you, Ben. A lot more than you think.”

Ben’s lips parted in shock. “She…she said that?”

Dean nodded, “Yeah. The last thing on her mind was you. Making sure you were taken care of while she was gone. I gave her my word that I would take care of you.”

Ben nodded absently, absorbing what he’d just been told. Ever since Dean had been pushed from their lives and Kolya had come strutting in, he’d assumed he’d been replaced in his mother’s heart. Even when Dean had been there, she still hadn’t had that much time for him.

Dean stood from the chair, knowing he needed to leave Ben to his thoughts. He patted Ben’s knee, bringing his attention back to Dean. “You ever need to talk, come find me. I don’t care when or where. I’ll always be there.”

Dean was almost to the door when he looked back at Ben. “What street’s the school on again?”

Ben glanced up. “Baker Street.”

Dean nodded and moved out of his room. He closed the door gently behind him before making his way to his room. He sat down on his bed and ran a hand down his face. He wasn’t sure what the next day would bring him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Soo....did you catch all 3 references? Let me know!! Remember, if you're signed in as guest or not signed in at all, be sure to leave me some kind of username to count you as or a name or thing so I can write it down to keep track of your correct references. And yes, I am keeping track!! Thank you to everyone who is participating in the contest or just reading the story!! It makes so much! ^.^ Until next time. Stay tuned!


	8. Parent/Teacher Conferences

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Parent/Teacher conference, Some Fluff,...Okay, a lot of fluff.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the long delay! To make up for it, I made the chapter super long. Also, I was requested to post the references from the previous chapter in the notes. I will do that, but that means that every attempt at a guess for the contest once the next chapter is posted will not count. Since I'll be giving away the references in the next chapter, it makes sense to no longer allow reference guesses from previous chapters. If you have any questions, feel free to message me and let me know!
> 
> References:
> 
> Chapter 6: Detective Lance (Arrow), Detective Sweets (Bones), Detective John Sheppard (Stargate: Atlantis), Acastus Kolya (Stargate: Atlantis), Blood doesn't mean family (SPN), Jason Teague (Smallville)
> 
> Chapter 7: Frying pan/closet (Tangled), Baker St (Sherlock), "If you're a bird, then Dean's a bird." (The Notebook)
> 
> So far there are 2 people in the lead and one coming in right behind! cmc557 and darkbloddynightmare38 are in the lead with 7 and Huntress79 is coming in second with 6. Good luck to everyone! Still at least a couple of more chapters with references left to go, including this one! Thanks for reading!

**Chapter 8**

Dean walked into the high school, not exactly sure where he was supposed to be going. He decided his best bet was to make his way to the office and find out where he should go from there. Walking into the office, he was blasted with a rush of cold air. It seemed that this was the only room with air conditioning.

He walked up to the counter and smiled at the receptionist sitting at her desk. “Excuse me, my name’s Dean Winchester. I’m Ben Braedon’s legal guardian. He told me I’m supposed to attend a parent-teacher conference?”

The woman looked up from her computer and smiled politely at him. He guessed she was somewhere in her mid-sixties judging by her looks and her almost white hair. She stood from her desk and walked towards him. “Ah, yes, Dean. The principal would like to speak with you before you go talk to the teachers. It’s right this way. She’s been waiting for you.”

Dean was hit by a wave of nervousness. He’d never liked going into the principal’s office as a kid, he sure as hell didn’t like doing it as an adult. He’d hoped his times of sitting in the principal’s office were over. Nope.

He followed the short, older woman down a short hallway where she stopped right outside of a closed door. “Principal Umbridge will see you immediately. Go on in.”

“Okay…”

He opened the door and his vision was instantly assaulted by the explosion of pink across his retinas. The entire room was painted a soft pink, lined with decorative plates with kittens on them. Dean shuddered involuntarily at the sight. His eyes wandered until he saw a woman sitting behind a desk. She looked…proper. She was wearing some kind of pink power suit with a matching pink hat that sat atop brown curls.

She smiled at him. “You must be Dean Winchester. My name is Principal Umbridge. Please, have a seat.”

He slowly walked into the office further, towards the chairs. His skin crawled from being in the room, but he wasn’t sure why. Other than the enormous over usage of the color pink.

“Ben told me I’m supposed to come to the parent/teacher conferences last night.”

A quirky chuckle came from Umbridge, startling Dean from his pink torture. “Yes, I spoke to Ben a few days ago and told him it would be best if you came tonight. There are some…issues we need to discuss.”

“What kind of issues?”

“You see, Mr. Winchester, Ben has not been acting like himself as of late. I have treated the matter with an utmost sense of delicacy given the situation, but I am afraid if it continues I will have to take matters into my own hands. I was hoping you would be willing to…handle the situation yourself.”

“What situation?”

Umbridge shifted in her seat, her smile never faltering. “Ben has been…acting up, as you could say. He has been engaging in altercations. They have been meager and easily taken care of so far, but I am afraid that will not be the case for long. Ben poses a threat to himself and those around him.”

Dean leaned forward slightly, not liking where this was going. “So, what are you saying? He should be committed?”

The slightest tilt of the woman’s head and the pull of her lips had Dean’s heart racing. “I am merely stating that it needs to be _handled_ with urgency. I am sure you understand given your past.”

Dean’s eyes widened. “My past? What’s that supposed to mean?”

She merely shrugged her shoulders lightly. “I did some digging since asking Ben to have you come tonight. I wasn’t going to have this meeting without knowing who I’m dealing with. I know all about your youthful days.”

Dean’s eyes narrowed the slightest bit. “With all due respect, ma’am, you don’t know anything about my childhood. All you know is what was written down in my school records. That’s not what defines me.”

There was that little giggle again. “I’m sure. Anyways, I would like to press to you that I cannot tolerate behavior such as this. I hope you understand, even with his current…predicament.”

“And what predicament is that exactly?”

There was that pull of her lips again. “His mother leaving him. And then, of course, him coming to live with his mother’s ex-boyfriend with a shady background.”

That did it. “First of all, his mother didn’t _leave_ him. She died. She was killed by a cop after information came to light that he was being abused by his step-father. I’m sure you know all of that since you seem to know everything, right? So, I’m guessing you know that while I was with Lisa, I was the one who took care of Ben while she was too damn busy. I’m the one he came to when he didn’t have anywhere else to go when he needed help. Second of all, I’m sure you noticed that I don’t have a criminal record, with all the digging you were doing. I also own my own business and it’s doing damn well. Sure, I dropped out of high school and got my GED, never went to college, but I made something of myself. Who cares that I got into a few fights in high school. That’s ancient history. And it’s not your place to judge me as a parent.”

“Might I remind you that you are not, in fact, a parent. You are a legal guardian and nothing more.”

Dean rose to his feet, having had enough of this woman judging him and the situation. “I’m more than a legal guardian to Ben and he’s more than just some kid to me. He’s practically my son. I don’t give a rats ass what you think about me, but don’t you dare sit there and make false judgments based on misinformation. Check your facts before you make an argument.”

He started towards the door. She rose from her seat, intending to stop him. He glanced in her direction as he opened the door. “We’re done here. If there’s a problem, I’ll handle it. If I find out you’re treating him unfairly, there will be hell to pay and you will be the one paying it.”

He slammed the door on his way out, hearing some of the plates fall and shatter on the ground. He couldn’t help the satisfactory grin that graced his face for a brief few moments at hearing that sound before hiding it as the receptionist came into view.

“Excuse me, where do I go from here?”

The older woman looked up from her computer and smiled politely at him. “There are three teachers for you to see: Mr. Rogers, the English teacher; Mr. Diggle, the history teacher; and Mrs. Johnson, the art teacher. If you follow the hallway to your right, you’ll find Mr. Rogers’ classroom. From there, I’m sure he’d be more than happy to help you find Mr. Diggle’s room.”

He nodded, moving away from her desk. “Thank you.”

He left the office and followed her directions to go down the hallway to his right. A few classrooms down, he found the right one and knocked on the door tentatively. When he received a response to come in, he walked in to find an older looking man sitting behind a desk grading papers. The old man looked up and instantly smiled. “Hello, I’m Mr. Rogers. You must be a parent to one of my students?”

Dean nodded, walking further into the classroom. “I’m Ben Braedon’s legal guardian, Dean Winchester. The lady in the office sent me here.”

Mr. Roger’s stood, extending his hand which Dean shook. “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Mr. Winchester. I’m sorry to hear about your loss.”

Dean suppressed a grimace. He’d been hoping to avoid the condolences. “Thanks.”

The man nodded. “Please, sit. I won’t take up too much of your time. I’m glad you came to see me. I’m sure you have others on your list to visit.”

Dean nodded, “Mr. Diggles and Mrs. Johnson.”

The teacher smiled kindly at him. “They are wonderful people. You will like them, I’m sure. Anyways, how about we get down to business, shall we? Ben is an excellent student. He pays attention in class. He does his homework. He does very well on his tests. Not once has he missed an assignment. I have never heard him complain about a partner on any of the projects the students have done.”

Dean nodded, taking in the information. “Principal Umbridge mentioned there have been some problems with him?”

Mr. Roger’s frowned slightly. “I am afraid so, though not in my classroom. Other teachers have told me about the fights he has been in, though from what I have been told, not all of them were his fault if that helps.”

Dean nodded again. “It does. So, he doesn’t have any problems in your class? He’s a good student?”

The smile was back, kind as ever. “He is a very good student. His writings are very articulated and flow beautifully. Though…there is one problem that I am starting to see since the death of his mother, but it is only to be expected.”

Dean’s brow furrowed slightly and he sat forward. “What’s that?”

“His writings have taken on an edge of…I don’t want to say darkness, but they have become slightly upsetting. His depression seeps through as well as some strong negative emotions he is feeling. I don’t mean to pry, but is he currently seeing a counselor?”

Dean shook his head, “At home he doesn’t act differently. He acts like a normal teenager his age. I’ve been keeping a close eye on him just in case, but I haven’t spotted anything out of the usual. I wasn’t sure if it would help him or not to send him to a counselor.”

Mr. Roger’s nodded. “I am not a counselor nor a psychologist, but it is my best guess that he may be hiding his true feelings around you, not wanting to alert you to anything that is going on with him. He may not want you to worry about him if you have a lot of other things going on in your life aside from recently losing someone and taking on a teenager.”

Dean nodded, “That’s Ben. He’s always thinking about others before himself. I own a bar, so I’m at work a lot, but I spend as much time as I can at home. I only work during the nights on weekends now so I can be there for him during the day and keep things running during the busiest time at the bar. A good friend of mine picks him up from practice during the week and we leave from there to go home. Spending time with Ben and adjusting to having him around isn’t difficult. Trying to balance work and being at home more is what’s difficult.”

Mr. Rogers’ was nodding again. “I completely understand, Mr. Winchester. It may be beneficial for him to maybe see someone, talk to someone about what has happened. I am no expert, like I said. Just a friendly suggestion. He is a good kid, a brilliant student. I would hate for him to go the wrong way because of something out of his control like that.”

Dean swallowed hard. He was starting to feel like a bad parent already. He knew the old guy wasn’t trying to make him feel bad or anything, quite the opposite, but it still got him thinking about his already failings.

“Well, I won’t keep any more of your time. You said you have to see Mr. Diggle?”

Dean stood, nodding.

“Okay, well, if you turn left from this room and keep going straight, you’ll find his room on the right side of the hallway. It was a pleasure meeting you, Mr. Winchester. I hope things start getting better with Ben. He really is a remarkable student.”

Dean smiled at the man, once again shaking his head. “It was a pleasure meeting you as well. Thank you.”

He moved out of the room, his head already swimming with different thoughts. He wasn’t sure how he was going to make it out of the next two meetings.

He walked down the hallway and found the classroom as he’d been told. He did the same thing he’d done with Mr. Rogers’ classroom and was met by the same response. Once inside, he found the walls to be covered in historical posters and projects done by students.

Sitting at a podium was a rather built man. Dean figured he’d probably done some time in the military at one point. He stepped forward and extended his hand towards Dean. “Mr. Diggles.”

Dean shook his hand. “Dean Winchester. I’m Ben Braedon’s legal guardian.”

The man nodded in understanding, not having recognized the last name at first. “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Mr. Winchester. Ben is a very good student. He’s a good kid going through a tough time.”

Dean nodded, taking a seat in one of the chairs placed near the podium. “So far everyone except the principal has told me what a good kid and student he is.”

Mr. Diggle chuckled, nodding. “Umbridge is…a character to say the least. She has a unique way of looking at things that makes her seem like a crazy old bat.”

Dean chuckled himself. “You could say that again. Mixed with her obsession with pink and kittens.”

Diggles nodded, a big smile planting itself on his face. “Yeah, I try to stay away from her office. It gives me the creeps.”

Dean nodded, “I broke a couple of her plates by accident a little bit ago. I was pretty proud of myself for that.”

The look on Diggles’ face suggested he was as well. “Man, you have no idea how long I’ve been wanting to do that. Anyways, I guess we should talk about Ben a little bit. He’s a great kid, he is. I’ve never had a problem with him in my classroom. He’s never late unless he has a good reason to be, he pays attention, he answers questions. He even asks questions when he needs to. A lot of kids don’t do that. They just figure they can figure it out on their own or Google it later.”

Dean was nodding along, having heard almost the exact same thing from Mr. Rogers. “I’ve heard he’s been getting into some fights?”

Diggles frowned. “Yeah. Unfortunately, I’ve had to break up a few fights between him and some of the other boys in his class. In a few cases, I overheard the boys teasing him for his mother dying. I sent them to Umbridge, of course, but there was nothing more I could do about that. I’ve been keeping an eye on him, trying to stop fights before they happen, keep him out of trouble. He spends a lot of time down towards this end of the hallway, so it’s not too hard though I can’t always be out in the hallway between classes.”

“I understand. Is there anything you suggest we can do about it? Mr. Rogers suggested he see a counselor. The only reason he already isn’t seeing one is because at home he’s normal. He doesn’t act up or anything. I haven’t noticed anything out of the usual to be worried about.”

Diggle nodded. “I’m sure he’s just trying to keep you from worrying about him. I agree with Rogers. I think it’d be in his best interest to maybe sit down and just talk to someone. It doesn’t necessarily need to be a counselor unless things worsen. As long as it’s someone who will listen to him. You would be the best audience for him seeing as you’re his parent now.”

He felt like he was doing a lot of nodding tonight. He was starting to feel like a bobble head as he nodded along to what Diggle was saying. “I sat down with him last night to talk about it, but he shut down on me. I think I said some things that got him thinking though, so we’ll see.”

Diggle was the bobble head this time. “That’s good. If things start to get worse, I can give you a call, give you a heads up before things head in a direction of no-return.”

Dean nodded, standing from his chair. “I’d really appreciate that. Do you need my cell phone number, or can you get it from the office?”

“Umbridge won’t give it to me. She’s strict on student records.”

Dean rolled his eyes. Of course she was. He took the piece of paper and pen he was offered and scribbled down his number along with his work number. “The first one’s my cell and the second is my bar.”

Diggle head lifted from the paper. “You own a bar?”

Dean was nodding again. “Yeah, The Roadhouse Bar & Grille downtown.”

“No way, I love that place. I used to go there all the time with my buddies. You own it?”

Dean smiled. “Sure do. Hey, why don’t you head down there sometime, bring your buddies with. I can hook you up with a round of free drinks.”

Diggle smile widened. “Awesome, man, thanks! It was nice meeting you, Mr. Winchester.”

“Call me Dean.”

“Well then, Dean, if we’re on a first name basis now, call me John.”

Dean suppressed his grimace at the name, instead shaking the man’s outstretched hand and smiling. “Well, John, I’ll see you at the bar sometime.”

“Yes you will. I’ll be taking you up on that offer soon.”

Dean’s smile lasted until he was most of the way down the hall when he realized he didn’t have a clue where he was going. He had no idea where Mrs. Johnson’s room was. He looked around for someone out in the hall and found it empty. Then he heard a pencil sharpener in the room he was standing next to and peeked his head in. “Excuse me, could you tell me where I can find Mrs. Johnson’s room?”

A young woman stood near her whiteboard, smiling like an idiot at him. “Certainly. Just go back down the hallway and take a left at that intersection. Her room is the first room on the left.”

He smiled politely at her. “Thanks.”

Before she could say anything, he was already walking down the hallway looking for the classroom. It took him a minute to find it since he had to walk a ways down the hallway to the intersection, but he eventually found it.

He knocked on the door, used to the routine already. He heard a response and walked inside. The room was decorated in art projects, some horrible and some absolutely amazing. There were stacks of colorful paper in one corner, boxes filled with colored pencils, markers, crayons, pastels. Some boxes filled with rulers, scissors, erasers. There was a printer against one wall stacked with papers. On one table sat a dozen or more small clay sculptures waiting to go into the kiln.

He found a woman sitting at a table, colored pencil in hand. Her hand was skimming across the paper creating beautiful lines of color.

He stepped further into the room and cleared his throat. “Excuse me, ma’am, my name is Dean Winchester. I’m Ben Braedon’s legal guardian.”

The woman turned around, setting her pencil down, and smiled kindly at him. “It’s nice to meet you, Dean. I’m Mrs. Johnson, but you can just call me Abby. Please, have a seat.”

Dean smiled, taking a seat at a table near hers. “So far everyone’s been telling me what a great student Ben is, but he’s been having some problems. Have you been seeing the same things?”

Abby nodded. “Unfortunately, I have. He really is a great student. He’s smart, talented, participates in class. He takes on every project with enthusiasm and tries his best. Though lately…his projects are taking a darker side.”

She stood from the table and walked over to a pile of projects. She rifled through them for a moment before pulling out a piece of paper and walking back over to him, setting it down in front of him.

On the piece of paper were dark swirls outlined in red. It was an impressive piece, but it had a dark edge to it. Dean studied the picture before looking up at her. “What does this mean? Are all of his projects becoming so…depressing?”

Abby nodded sadly. “I’m afraid so. I haven’t seen anything with more vibrant colors since before his mom died. I was hoping to talk to you about it, see if there’s anything we can do from both sides.”

Dean nodded, turning back to the paper. “I’ve already been advised for him to see a counselor. I’m beginning to think that it really might be the best course of action.”

She nodded, “That might help him. If he’s able to talk to someone about what’s going on, then maybe he can pull himself out of the downward spiral I fear he’s heading towards. Have you tried talking to him about it yourself?”

Dean frowned, imitating a bobble head once again. “Yeah, but he shut me down. Neither of us are exactly what you would call ‘healthy talkers’, but I figured I’d give it a try. I guess my next step is to find a counselor.”

Abby nodded, “I would advise against using the school counselor unless necessary. I have been told he’s been getting into fights and with the way kids are these days, I’m afraid it might cause him even more trouble if the other students learn he is seeing a counselor about his problems.”

Dean sighed softly. “As much as I’m happy for him to finally get away from the situation he was in…I wish he didn’t have to go through any of this.”

Abby’s brow furrowed. “If you don’t mind me asking, but what situation was he in?”

Dean’s eyes lifted from the paper to meet hers. “You haven’t read the paper?”

She lifted one brow, shaking her head. “I don’t read the paper that often.”

Dean looked back at the art piece. “Ben’s stepfather was abusing him. His mother wouldn’t believe him, so he came to me. I went to Lisa and the two of us went to the cops. Later that night, she was killed.”

Abby nodded sadly, “That would explain why his decline started before his mother died. I just figured he was having trouble with the other kids or something. I had no idea it was something that serious. Is he okay?”

Dean nodded, “Yeah, he’s fine. We stopped it before he could do too much damage.”

“That’s good to hear. I can’t understand why people could even _consider_ harming their children. Or any child for that matter. It’s beyond me.”

“Neither can I.” There was a beat of silence where Abby was looking for words to say and Dean was lost in his own thoughts about the situation before Dean snapped himself out of it. He looked back up at her, setting the paper down on the table. “Well, I don’t want to steal any more of your time. I appreciate you seeing me about this. I hope we can get this figured out soon, for Ben’s sake.”

Abby nodded, standing when Dean did. “I agree. If there’s anything you need me to do, just let me know. I’m going to continue to keep an eye on him. If he gets worse, I’ll let you know.”

Dean nodded, moving towards the door. “If you need my number, John Diggle has it. Thank you again.”

He walked out the door and ran a hand through his hair. He was at a complete loss of what to do. This was where becoming a parent to a teenager became very hard.

**SPN**

Cas gathered the papers he’d collected from his students and piled them neatly into his briefcase. When he was done, he sat down behind his desk and picked up his cell phone from where he’d deposited it before class. He had one missed text and voicemail from Dean. He pulled open the text.

_Hey, Cas. On my way to the conference now. I’ll call you when I get done. I’ll see you later. –Dean_

Cas smiled before pulling up the voicemail and holding the phone to his ear to listen.

“Hey, Cas. Uh, I’m pretty sure you’re still in class right now which means I missed you, obviously. It’s almost five, so Ben should be there soon. I’m on my way to that conference. Not sure what’s gonna happen. I’ve never been to a parent/teacher conference before so I’m a bit nervous, heh. Um, if you need anything I’ll have my phone on me the whole time. Yeah, uh, I’ll see you at the bar later. Thanks again for hanging out with Ben and getting him some supper. I appreciate it. Um, yeah, okay. Bye.”

Cas couldn’t help but chuckle at the message. He was definitely glad he’d let Sam talk him into meeting him at the bar all those weeks ago for a drink. He couldn’t imagine not being friends with Dean now that they were so close.

He pulled open his inbox once again and opened up his conversation with Dean. _Hello, Dean. I am sorry I missed your call. I was, in fact, in class. Ben has not yet arrived, but he should be walking in the door very shortly. Call me when you are finished and we will meet you in a place of your choosing. –Castiel_

He set his phone down and began looking through the remaining papers on his desk. He had finished grading them before his last class. He just needed to submit the grades online. As he was waiting for Ben to show up, he decided to go ahead and submit his students’ grades onto the school’s grading site.

He was almost done when the door to his office opened and Ben walked in. Cas smiled softly at him. “Hello, Ben. How was school?”

Ben nodded, taking a seat in one of the chairs that were placed in front of Cas’s desk. “Okay. I only have a little bit of homework left if you still have some stuff to do.”

Cas nodded, “I have some more grades to input before I can leave. It should be no longer than fifteen minutes.”

Ben nodded as he started getting his homework out to work on it. The two worked in silence, getting both of their work done so they didn’t have to worry about it. Cas had been right. It didn’t take him more than fifteen minutes to finish up submitting the grades.

He leaned back in his chair and looked over at Ben who was still writing in his notebook, solving equations. Cas let his mind wander while Ben finished up his homework. He couldn’t stop it from roaming to the bow-legged, green-eyed dork he’d befriended. He wasn’t sure what had urged him to entwine his fingers with Dean’s the day before or wipe the tears from his face while they were sliding down his cheeks. It had pained him to see Dean hurting and confused.

He thought back to what Gabriel and Sam had said to him after Dean had left with Ben. It wasn’t that he hadn’t been with a man before. He had. He had ex-boyfriends, old lovers. But they were in his past and he hadn’t thought about them in quite some time.

Dean was right here in front of him, but Dean was his friend. He was his _best_ friend. He’d helped him recuperate from the beating his father and his father’s friends had given him. He’d protected him while he was too weak to protect himself during a time when they weren’t sure if John was going to go after Dean. He’d helped him deal with the death of his ex-girlfriend. He’d been there for him through smaller challenges and through a lot of good times. They hadn’t known each other all that long, but Dean meant more to Cas than a lot of people did.

“Okay, I’m done. What about you?”

Cas was broken from his thoughts and he looked up to see Ben shoving his homework into his bag. “Yes, I am done with my work. Where would you like to go eat?”

Ben looked up from his bag, shrugging his shoulders. “Uh, pizza sounds good, but I really don’t care.”

Cas smiled. “Pizza it is.”

They stood from their chairs. Cas turned, pulled his trench coat on, and picked up his briefcase. They walked out of the university together making small talk. It didn’t take them too long to get to Cas’s car.

“So, how did you get to the university?”

Ben glanced in his direction as he opened the passenger side door. “I had a friend drop me off. I was hanging out with him afterschool before I came here. We had a project to work on so we got it done.”

Cas nodded, putting the key into the ignition and starting the car. “What was the project?”

“It was for English. We have to do this thing for a book we recently read. You’ve probably read it before. To Kill A Mocking Bird?”

Cas smiled. “Yes, I have read that before. It is a most intriguing book. Did you enjoy it?”

Ben nodded, looking out the window as they left the parking lot. “Yeah, it was a good book. Our next book is Animal Farm. I’m kind of looking forward to it. I heard it was good too.”

Cas nodded, “Yes, it is a very good book. I suggest you pay attention to the hidden meanings of it.”

They continued to talk about books for the remainder of the drive to the pizza place. When they pulled up, Cas shut off the engine and they stepped out. They walked into the pizza place and were immediately seated in a booth. They ordered a large sausage pizza and another one to go. They both knew that Dean would kill them if they didn’t bring him some.

Ben started fiddling with his straw. “So. You’re not an alcoholic, are you?”

Cas looked up at him, raising a brow. “Pardon me?”

Ben shrugged. “You’re at the bar a lot. Well, so is Sam. I get why Gabe, Charlie, Benny, and Jo are. They work there. But you and Sam are always there just sitting there and drinking.”

Cas smiled lightly. “I only drink a couple of beers while I am there. I do not think that qualifies me as an alcoholic. I go for the camaraderie.”

Ben nodded, “So, how did you meet Dean, Sam and Gabe?”

“Gabriel I knew from back before I moved here. We have been good friends for many years. I met Sam at the university. He was one of the students I tutored. We became good friends. After quite a long time of just the two of his hanging out, he talked me into going to his brother’s bar for a drink. That’s when I met Dean and we quickly became good friends. I have been going there ever since.”

Ben nodded, looking up at Cas. “You know he feels the same way, right?”

Cas’s brow furrowed. “Who feels the same way about what?”

Ben smiled mischievously, pulling out his cell phone. “Dean. That’s all I’m going to say. I’m sure you can figure the rest out.”

Cas tilted his head to the side, but couldn’t inquire further as the pizza arrived. As the waiter was setting the food down in front of them, Ben sent off a quick text to Sam:

_Hey dude, we seriously need to get these two together already. Cas is clueless._

He knew that Sam would understood exactly what he meant, so he left the details kind of vague. He slipped his phone back into his pocket and picked up a piece of pizza, stuffing it into his face.

 

Cas and Ben had been enjoying a conversation about music when Cas’s phone started to go off. He looked down at the screen and couldn’t suppress the small smile that nudged at his lips. He tried to hide it before Ben saw, but failed. He hit accept and held the phone to his ear.

“Hello?”

“Hey, Cas. I’m just leaving the conference now. Where are you and Ben?”

“We are still at the pizza place, but we have been done for a while. We have just been talking.”

Cas heard the jingle of Dean’s car keys before the infamous creak of the door on the impala. “Okay. Well, if you wanna meet me at home, I’m just gonna go straight there. I don’t really feel like stopping at the bar.”

Cas’s brow furrowed. “Is everything okay, Dean?”

“Yeah, uh…I’ll tell you how it went when you get to the house. I don’t wanna talk about it front of Ben. I’ll see you soon?”

“Yes, we will be there soon.”

“Sounds good. Bye, Cas.”

“Bye, Dean.”

Cas hung up and slid his phone into his pocket. “Dean is on his way home. We are meeting him there.”

Ben nodded and slid out of the booth. Cas slid out as well and picked up their extra pizza. Cas paid their bill at the counter before walking out to the car and placing the pizza on the backseat. He slid into the driver’s seat and started the engine.

“So, do you like living with Dean?”

Ben turned away from the window and nodded. “Yeah, it’s great. Someone actually cares about how my day went. I used to have to cook my own meals; fend for myself all the time. Dean’s made most of the meals since I moved in. He’s been better than my mom ever was. I know that’s a horrible thing to say, but…back when Dean was with my mom…it was always Dean who took care of me.”

Cas tilted his head slightly, staring at the road and their surroundings. “I do not believe it is a horrible thing to say. You are being honest and that is good.”

Ben bit his lip. “I know it must be hard on Dean to suddenly have a teenager to look after. I know he’s trying…I don’t want to be a burden to him.”

Cas glanced quickly at Ben. “You are not a burden to him, I assure you that. He rather enjoys having you there. He missed you over the year you were apart. I do not believe it is has hard as you might think for him. He has been quite happy having you living with him again.”

Ben lifted his eyes and studied Cas for a long moment, looking for dishonesty that he wouldn’t find. “Really? You think so?”

Cas smiled. “I know that to be true. Dean told me.”

“You and Dean are really close.”

Cas nodded, tilting his head to the other side in contemplation. “Yes, we are. He is my best friend. I care about him very much.”

Ben’s lips curled into a smile. “I noticed. You should tell him.”

Cas lifted an eyebrow. “What would that accomplish?”

Ben shrugged. “Dean might not know just how much you care about him. He’s kind of oblivious when it comes to stuff like that.”

Cas took in his words. The rest of the ride was filled with silence as Cas thought over what Ben had said. Maybe Ben was right. Maybe he should tell him how he feels.

Cas pulled the car into the driveway next to the impala and shut it off. They got out and Cas retrieved the pizza from the backseat. They walked up to the door and walked in. Dean was sitting at the table, sorting through some bills and looked up as they walked in.

“Hey guys, how was supper?”

Ben nodded, setting his book bag down by the couch. “It was really good. We brought you some.”

Dean perked up a bit. “Good, I’m starving.”

Cas chuckled. “We knew you would be.” He set the pizza down in front of him and then went to get him and Dean a beer. He walked back to the table and sat down, placing Dean’s beer in front of him, and taking off his coat.

“Have you found a new house yet?”

Dean sighed, shaking his head. “Technically, I’ve found a few, but I have no idea which one to go with. I was going to go check out houses tomorrow since Ben doesn’t have school. I was going to take him with me.”

“What are the qualifications you’re looking for?”

Dean took a sip from his beer. “Well, I want a three to four bedroom, so it has have plenty of room. A garage so I can work on the impala when I need to.”

Cas nodded, “Why so many rooms?”

Dean shrugged. “Well, there’d be my room and Ben’s room. I need a room for when Sam comes to stay. And, if I can, I want another guest bedroom. That way no one has to sleep on the couch when they come over.”

Cas smiled, drinking his beer. “That is a good idea, Dean. It is smart to have enough room for everyone. I have noticed that your house is the go-to place other than the bar.”

Dean chuckled, picking up a piece of pizza and shoving it in his face. “Yeah, basically. I like having people over. Before Ben moved in, it was kind of lonely living by myself. Sam would be here on the weekends, but it wasn’t the same. I think that’s why I spent so much time at the bar.”

They heard Ben shout down the hall from his room. “You’re welcome!”

They both chuckled and took a sip of their beers. Dean glanced in the direction of Ben’s room. “Hey, Ben! How about you watch a movie or put on some music or something.”

In response, they heard a song start playing and echo down the hallway. Dean chuckled, looking back down at his pizza.

Cas leaned forward onto his elbows. “So, what happened at the conference?”

Dean sighed, rubbing a hand down his face. “Well, first I met the principal who is the queen of crazy. That consisted of her sticking her nose in the air the whole time and looking down on everything. She even looked me up, checked out my school records. It was weird.”

Cas’s brow furrowed. “She checked into you? Why?”

Dean shrugged. “Because she’s crazy, that’s why. Then I met his English teacher who was really nice. He told me that Ben’s a great student. He has no problems with him in class. In fact, all the teachers I talked to said that.”

Cas smiled, “Well, that’s great!”

Dean nodded, “Yeah, it is.”

“But…”

Dean looked up at him. “But, I was also told that he’s been getting into fights at school with some of the other kids and he’s been seeming depressed. His art teacher showed me one of his projects and it was a bit depressing. They all basically suggested he see a counselor. From what I heard…I don’t know. I think it might be the best thing for him. I don’t know what to do.”

Cas nodded, “Maybe it would be in his best interest if you do find him a counselor. It may be easier for him to talk to someone he doesn’t know about what’s going on than for him to talk to someone he looks up to. He told me a little bit ago that he doesn’t want to be a burden to you.”

Dean’s brow furrowed. “He’s not a burden to me.”

Cas nodded, “That is what I told him. I also told him that you like having him here and that you missed him during the year you were apart.”

Dean nodded, tapping his fingers on the table. “Good. I think it helps when it comes from someone other than me.”

Cas nodded, looking down at his beer. He bit his lip, thinking over what Ben had told him. He must have lost himself in his thoughts because the next thing he knew, Dean was calling his name and looking worried.

“You okay there, Cas?”

Cas smiled weakly. “Yes, I am fine, Dean. Just thinking is all.”

Dean nodded, still looking worried. “If you need to talk about something, you can talk to me. You know that, right?”

Cas’s smile strengthened. “Yes, Dean, I know. Ben just gave me some advice and I was thinking about whether or not I should take it.”

Dean raised an eyebrow curiously. “What advice did he give you?”

Cas bit his lip, looking away. That only succeeded in making Dean even more curious. “Cas…what did he tell you to do?”

He sighed, figuring he might as well come out with it. “Dean, I care about you a lot. I-uh, just thought you should know. Ben said you can be oblivious sometimes.”

Dean blushed slightly, looking away. There was a long moment where the house was silent save for Ben’s music that was still playing. Cas was feeling rather stupid for saying it, so he stood. “I better go. I, uh, have some papers left to grade.”

He put his coat on and headed for the door. Right as he reached it, a hand came down on his shoulder and he was spun around. Dean was standing directly in front of him, a question in his eyes. “Cas, don’t go. I’m sorry…I wasn’t expecting that. It caught me off guard.”

Cas smiled softly at him. “It is okay, Dean. I should not have said it.”

Dean shook his head, a small smile pulling at his lips. “I’m glad you did. Uh, you don’t really have to go, do you? You could stay…”

Cas’s smile widened and he let go of the door knob, taking a step away from the door and closer to Dean. “I would love to stay, Dean.”

Dean’s smile practically split his face in half. “Come on, let’s watch a movie or something.”

The two men settled down on the couch, the trench coat draped over a chair. They had beers on the table and leftover pizza. Dean popped in the new Star Trek movie and got comfortable. They talked about the movie, about other things going on, about their schedules. Dean even invited him to go look at houses together. Cas of course accepted.

It wasn’t too far from the end when both men started to get drowsy. Cas started sliding sideways tiredly, struggling to keep his eyes open. Dean noticed and smiled. He slid his arm on the back of the couch behind Cas and pulled him towards him gently. Cas put up no struggle as his eyes finally slid shut for the last time. Cas’s head landed on Dean’s shoulder.

Dean could swear he heard a soft sigh of contentment before he rested his head on top of Cas’s and let his eyes slide shut as well.

**SPN**

Dean was rubbing down the bar, his mind still processing what had happened in the parent/teacher conferences the day before. Everyone knew his mind was preoccupied and they knew why, so they had let him be all day. It was a slow day, being a Friday. There was no school due to parent/teacher conferences again that day. His whole family was sitting at the bar hanging out.

Even Ben was there. He was currently seated at one of the booths doing his homework and slowly making his way through a plate of fries. Cas and Charlie were rattling on about some new movie that was coming out soon. Sam was chatting up Gabe about some kind of trip he wanted to take. Jo was in the backroom with Benny. Everyone was just as preoccupied as he was, except he was preoccupied with his own mind.

Suddenly, Jo walked out into the nearly deserted bar and frowned. The jukebox was off and the only sounds were coming from a couple of conversations. She made her way to the jukebox and flipped through a few albums until she found the one she wanted. She turned around towards Dean and smirked. “Hey, Dean!”

He lifted his head, pulled out of his train of thought. He saw the look on her face, the glint in her eye. He narrowed his as the rest of the conversations ceased, curious as to what was about to happen. Even Ben looked up from his homework.

“What, Jo?”

“You need to cheer up. And you know how you’re going to do that?”

He turned his head to the side slightly, not sure if he wanted to know where she was about to go with this, but curious all the same.

“Um…how?”

Her smirk turned into a full out smile as she pivoted, hit a button, then pivoted back towards him. She took a step towards the bar, but stayed out in the open where there were no tables. “Come join me!”

The music started and instantly he knew what she had played. It was a song they always used to cheer up the other. He couldn’t help the smile that instantly popped onto his face as she started singing the first verse.

“Thank you for being a friend! Travel down the road and back again. Your heart is true! You’re a pal and a confidant.”

She was using her hand like a microphone. He knew that if he didn’t get out onto the floor and dance with her, he’d pay big time later. He quickly moved out from behind the bar as the next line started. It was his turn to contribute to their song.

“And if you threw a party, invited everyone you knew,”

He grabbed her hand and started spinning her around as he sang. They were dancing together, smiles erupting onto their faces. He kept going with the line as he spun her around in a circle. “You would see the biggest gift would be from me and the card attached would say,”

They both belted out the last line of the song, harmonizing with each other. “Thank you for being a friend.”

As the music stopped, they couldn’t stop laughing at themselves. That song never failed to cheer them up. Suddenly, there was a mass of cheering and clapping from the peanut gallery. They both turned to see all their friends laughing along with them and cheering for them.

Dean turned back to Jo and hugged her. “Thanks, Jo. I needed that.”

Jo smiled back at him. “Anytime, Dean. I missed that smile. You should smile more often.”

Dean nodded, not exactly sure what to say. She stepped away from him, heading for the stool next to Sam. Dean shook his head with a smile on his face and turned the opposite direction, towards Ben. He sat down on the other side of the booth.

“How’s your homework coming, Ben?”

Ben nodded, looking down at the scattered papers and books. “It’s coming. I just have my English homework left and then I’ll be done.”

Dean nodded. “Good. Do you have a game later?”

Ben nodded, focusing his attention back on Dean. “Yeah, I have to be there by five. I was going to ask Robert if they could pick me up when they go.”

Dean shook his head. “Nah, I’ll take you.”

“Are you sure, Dean? I know you have to work.”

Dean smiled softly at him. “I don’t mind, Ben. That’s what family is for.”

Ben forced a small smile to his face. He nodded a couple of times, not sure what he should say. Dean tilted his head to the side, watching him.

“You do know that you’re a part of this family now, right?”

Ben nodded, averting his gaze. “Yeah. Sure, Dean. I mean, you _are_ my legal guardian so they kind of have to let me into the family.”

Dean frowned. “I’m more than just your legal guardian, Ben. And they didn’t have to do anything. Why don’t you get to know them, see what they’re like. Maybe then you’ll change your mind.”

Ben shrugged. “Okay.”

Dean’s frown deepened. He stood from the booth and walked over to the bar, stepping behind it and picking up his rag. He stood there for a moment, thinking about what he could do for Ben. He was starting to see what the teachers had said about Ben’s behavior.

“Dean, what’s wrong?”

He looked up to see Sam, Cas, Gabe, and Jo watching him curiously. Dean glanced back at Ben, thinking over his options. He turned back to his family with an idea. An idea to bring everyone closer together.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'll give a hint...There are 4 references. I'll also go as far as to say that there are mentions of movies/books. Those do not qualify as references. Good luck to all participating!


	9. Good Night, Dean

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> House hunting, a football game, and a little unexpected trouble.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, I took my time writing this chapter, giving everyone enough time to review and attempt to guess at the last chapter's references. Everyone did rather well! Though, I will say...most of the people who reviewed thought that Mrs. Abby Johnson was a reference. She is actually one of my best friends and I turned her into a character for the story, haha! Sorry! ^.^ Chapter 8 reference guessing is now closed! 
> 
> SO! Here they are. Chapter 8 references:  
> Professor Umbridge from Harry Potter  
> Mr. Rodgers from Mr. Rodger's Neighborhood  
> the Golden Girl's theme song (which only one person caught)  
> Mr. John Diggle from Arrow
> 
> There is a three-way tie for lead: cmc557, Huntress79, and darkbloddynightmare38 all have 10 correct references. Second runner-up is GuiltyBystanders with 7 correct references. Congrats and good luck on the next chapter!

**Chapter 9**

Dean looked around the room, taking in the details. He wasn’t sure how he felt about this one. He turned and looked at the three he’d brought with him: Ben, Sam, and Cas.

“So…what do you think about this one?”

Ben frowned, shoving his hands in his pockets. “The upstairs was kind of small…My room would be the size of a closet. I’d really rather not live in a closet under the stairs.”

Cas nodded. “As was the kitchen. With as much as you like to cook, Dean, I assume you would prefer a bigger kitchen.”

Dean frowned, looking in the direction of the kitchen. “Yeah…you’re right. It was pretty small. I think I might get stuck in there. Okay…”

He walked through the house to where the real estate agent was taking a call. He waited politely until she had finished and smiled kindly at her. “Sorry, but I don’t think this one’s the one. It’s a bit too…small.”

The woman smiled, nodding. “I understand. It is rather small, but I have some other houses that are bigger that you might like. I’ll take you to the next one.”

* * *

 

 

Ben walked down the stairs and sighed. He shook his head at Sam. There was no way that three guys could live in this house.

“Dean…the walls are pink up there.”

Dean grimaced. “Well…we could always paint it.”

Ben stared at him. “I heard mice in the walls.”

Sam nodded, “The basement doesn’t look like it’s too sturdy either. I don’t know much, but it doesn’t look like the foundation was laid properly.”

Dean ran a hand through his hair, looking at Cas. “Okay. Well. On to the next one!”

 

* * *

 

Cas frowned. The garage was caving in on itself, the paint was peeling from the sides of the house. The roof looked leaky. “Dean…I do not believe this is the one you want especially since you are buying and not renting.”

Dean nodded, staring at the sight. “I think you’re right, but we’re running out of houses to look at. I think we’re a bit too picky. I feel like Sheldon, as if every detail has to be right. We need to find one…”

Cas nodded, looking at Dean. “You will find one, Dean. I know you will. You just have to be patient.”

Dean chuckled, stuffing his hands into his pockets. “Yeah. I just hope we find it soon. Sam hasn’t been staying during the weekends because he doesn’t want to make the house crowded. Call it cheesy, but I miss having him around.”

“You see him all the time at the bar.”

Dean shrugged. “I know, but it’s not the same. At the bar, I’m running around trying to get things done before I leave. I’m not there as much as I used to since I have Ben now. I used to wake up on the weekends and make Sammy breakfast. We’d watch a movie and complain about it or get into some debate. Then we’d get ready for the day, go to the bar. Albeit, I make Ben breakfast in the morning, but he goes back to his room after he eats. That or he sleeps until noon.”

“Then let’s go find the right house.”

Dean turned to him, a small smile on his face. “Yeah, let’s go find it.”

 

* * *

 

Ben ran up the stairs from the basement, a smile on his face. “Dean! It’s like a dungeon!”

Dean turned around from admiring the fireplace in the living room. “A dungeon? I’ve always wanted a dungeon!”

Ben nodded his head excitedly. Before he could say more, Cas walked into the room. “Dean, you must come see this.”

He followed Cas into the other room to find the biggest kitchen Dean had ever been in. The countertops were beautiful. There was an island in the middle. It was flat except for the sink on one side. The cabinets were big, very spacious. There were counters around the kitchen acting as walls with a gap in the middle to allow entrance inside. Dean was stunned.

“Wow.”

Cas smiled at Dean. “Impressive, huh?”

Dean nodded dumbly. “Yeah. It is.”

Sam walked in right behind them. “Whoah. That’s impressive.”

Dean nodded. “Yeah…it is.”

Sam turned to Dean. “So are the rooms upstairs. They’re awesome! They’re huge. The closets are walk-ins. That attic is set up like it could be an extra room too, nice and big.”

Dean looked up at him, thinking things over. He walked through the house, going from room to room. The house was absolutely beautiful. Dean was mesmerized. The siding was a light blue. The walls were neutral colored. The rooms were big.

Dean walked back downstairs to the living room where the rest of the group was. Sam looked expectant, Ben looked excited, and Cas just looked curious. Dean smiled at the sight.

“So, Dean…what do you think?”

Dean looked around, shrugging. “I don’t know. I think it might be _too_ big.”

Sam stared at him incredulously. “You’re kidding me. Too big?”

Dean shrugged. “I’m buying, not renting. I wanna be sure it’s the right one.”

He watched their reactions, wondering how they would feel if he walked away from this house for good. They all seemed very disappointed. Dean smiled slightly, hiding it before any of them saw it.

“I, uh, I’ll go let the realtor know we need more selections. I’ll meet you out at the car.”

He watched them trudge out to the car, glancing around as if for the last time. Cas turned as he came to the door and glanced back at Dean. He threw Cas a quick smile before going to find the realtor. He found her in the kitchen going through some more house selections for him.

“Well…I’ve made a decision.”

The woman looked up at him expectantly, probably thinking that he was going to ask for more selections, give her more excuses. “Oh? What have you decided?”

He smiled broadly at her. “I’ll take it.”

 

* * *

 

Dean walked out of the house, pulling the keys to the impala out of his pocket. He walked up to the group who were all staring at the house. He smirked at the sad looks on their faces.

“Hey guys, why the long faces?”

Ben’s frown deepened. “It had a dungeon…”

Sam nodded, “The closets were awesome. The rooms were big.”

Cas broke his gaze from the house and his eyes locked with Dean’s. “Why are you smiling?”

Dean’s smile widened as the others looked at him. “I was just wondering something…”

Sam tilted his head slightly the way Cas does when he’s confused. “What’s that, Dean?”

“Oh, I was just wondering when you think we could get everything moved in.”

Ben pushed away from the car, his eyes widening. “What are you saying?”

Dean’s smile just kept widening. “I’m saying…I bought the house. It’s ours.”

The looks on their faces were priceless. It made Dean’s heart swell a couple of sizes to be the cause of it. Cas’s smile was so big it was almost comical. “Dean, I thought you didn’t like the house.”

He shrugged. “I faked it. I wanted to see your reactions if I seemed like I was going to turn it down. I wanted to make sure you guys liked it as much as I did.”

Ben shot forward and wrapped his arms around Dean’s waist. “Thank you, Dean! This is awesome!”

Dean laughed, wrapping his arms around him. “Well, I’m glad you like it. It’ll be finalized by the end of next week. Then we can move in. Then Sam can come back on the weekends. Cas could stay whenever he wanted, Jo, Benny, Charlie, Gabe…Hell, we have enough room for everyone practically.”

Ben nodded, “It’ll be like Dean and the seven dwarves.”

Sam’s face was lit up as he looked up at the house. “This is going to be awesome, Dean. You’re buying a house, you own your own business, you have Ben…life’s treating you very well.”

Dean smiled softly at his little brother. “Yeah, it is. Only one thing could make it complete.”

Sam turned to look at him, but Dean was looking up at the house transfixed. “What’s that, Dean?”

He glanced towards Cas, a longing look in his eye, not aware that Ben and Sam were watching him. He turned away, clearing his throat. “Uh, nothing, Sam. We need to get going. Ben’s gotta get ready for his game.”

He walked around and climbed into the impala, starting the engine. He waited for the rest of the group to climb in before putting her in drive and pulling away from the house they would soon be living in.

 

**SPN**

Dean pulled out his wallet and handed over admission money for himself, Sam, Jo, Gabe, and Benny. He’d gotten Charlie to take over for Jo, Ellen to take over for Gabe, Bobby to take over for Benny and Ash to pick up whatever slack there may be. He wanted as many from their family to be at the game to support Ben as he could get.

They all walked away from the gate and made their way to the concession stand. Dean was about to walk up to the counter when Sam put his hand on his shoulder. “You paid for everyone to get in, I’ll buy the food.”

Dean smiled at his little brother. “Aw, thanks, Sammy. Get me a mountain dew, a snickers, and a bag of popcorn.” He threw Sam a cheeky grin, watching him roll his eyes and walk towards the counter with the rest of the group.

“Dean!”

He looked around for who called his name and found John Diggle walking towards him. “John! Hey, man. Good to see you.”

They shook hands, both smiling. “Yeah, you too, man. I thought I’d run into you here. I’m guessing you’re here for Ben?”

Dean nodded, “Yeah, brought the family with too. Ben doesn’t know we’re all here though. He probably suspects I am, but I wanted it to be a surprise.”

Diggle nodded, “He’ll like that. Have you talked to him about the conference?”

Dean shook his head. “I haven’t had much time to. All day we were house hunting with my brother and a friend of ours. I haven’t had a moment alone with him yet.”

John nodded, looking around. “So, where’s your family at?”

Dean turned towards the concession stand and found them all watching his interaction with Diggle. He smiled slightly and moved towards them. “I’ll introduce you.”

They met the group halfway and stopped. Dean introduced them one by one. “John, this is Jo, Gabe, Benny, Cas, and my little brother Sam. Jo, Gabe, and Benny work at the bar with me. Guys, this is John Diggle.”

They shook his hand and said their hello’s. Sam noticed that Cas was watching John and not just observing him. It looked as if he was glaring at the man. Dean didn’t seem to notice.

John smiled at them all and looked at Dean. “Well, I’ll let you go. It should be a good game. Maybe I’ll catch up to you guys later. It was good seeing you again, Dean.”

“Yeah, you too.”

They shook hands and John walked away towards the concession stand, not looking back. Dean headed in the direction towards the bleachers, gesturing them to follow. Sam caught up with Dean quickly, glancing back towards the others.

“Dean, hey, listen…I think you should talk to Cas. It looked like he was getting a bit jealous of your friend.”

Dean looked up at Sam. “What are you talking about?”

Sam shrugged, “He was, like, glaring at that dude while you were talking to him. I advise you talk to him about it…let him know there’s not anything going on between you. Wait, there’s _not_ anything going on between you, right?”

Dean rolled his eyes. “No, there’s nothing going on. I met him last night at the conference. I’ll talk to Cas.”

Sam nodded and fell back a step, telling the others they could catch up since their private conversation was over. They quickly found seats near the bottom of the bleachers with a good view of the field, right in the middle. They shuffled into a line on the bleachers. Benny went first, followed by Jo, Sam, Gabe, Cas, and then Dean at the end. Dean got the seat along the aisle, but he didn’t have a problem with that.

He took his food and soda from Sam and started munching on the popcorn. The team hadn’t come out onto the field yet. The marching band had gotten done playing through some songs and were lining up along the sidelines waiting for pre-game to start. Dean cleared his throat and shifted slightly, not sure how to start the conversation. Cas glanced in his direction, but didn’t say anything.

“So…what’d you think of John?”

Cas shrugged, turning his attention back to the field. “I did not get to know him well enough to give you a proper answer.”

“Are you jealous?”

Cas frowned. “I have nothing to be jealous about.”

Dean nodded, “You know…he’s just a friend. A married friend.” He glanced towards Cas, but he was looking very uncomfortable. Before he could say more, Gabe turned towards Cas and started asking him about something back home, pulling Cas’s attention away from him.

Dean sighed and lowered his head a bit. He closed his eyes for a moment, wishing he was better at things like this. He heard a whistle and brought his attention back to the field. The marching band marched out onto the field and started their pre-game show. They went through their school song, another song Dean found slightly familiar, but didn’t know what it was, and then the National Anthem where they all rose. When they returned to their seats, the band was forming a line at the end of the field. They started their school song once more and the football team burst through a banner the cheerleaders were holding.

Dean searched through the kids for Ben, smiling when he finally spotted him. He watched as Ben glanced up into the bleachers and then looked away. A moment later, his eyes roamed back over the faces, having immediately spotted Dean and done a double take. Dean’s smile widened and he offered Ben a small wave.

Ben smiled, looking from face to face of his new family. They all smiled at him in turn, waving. When Ben got to Jo, she stood up, cupped her hands around her mouth and shouted, “Go Ben! WOO!!”

Ben laughed, a smile plastered to his face. He waved at his family before turning and paying attention to what he was supposed to be doing. Dean turned towards Jo when she sat back down and smiled at her. “Thanks, Jo.”

She had a wide grin on her face. “It’s about time we had a teenager to go to sporting events for. You’re slackin’, Dean.”

Dean rolled his eyes and turned back to the field. When the game finally started, Ben was one of the first out there. They yelled encouragement to him, making sure he heard them. Dean had the feeling it was going to be a good game, but there was a feeling nagging at the back of his mind, but he didn’t know what.

 

* * *

 

At halftime, Dean decided to hit the head and then grab another snack. He told the others where he was going before standing and walking away. He walked down the stairs from the bleachers and over towards the restrooms. He did his business and walked out, heading towards the concession stand. As he waited in line, he felt someone walk up behind him. He glanced behind him to see who it was and found Cas. He smiled at Cas, but Cas only nodded at him with this look on his face that Dean knew well.

Dean’s brow furrowed. “Uh oh. You got angry face. What’s wrong, Cas?”

“What makes you think something is wrong, Dean?”

“Come on, Cas, I know you. Something’s wrong. Just talk to me.”

Cas shrugged, “It is not of import.”

Dean shook his head. “Cas, if there’s something bothering you than it is important. Maybe it’ll make you feel better to get it off your chest.”

Cas bit his lip, glancing at Dean. “It is not that big of a deal, Dean. I can deal with it.”

The tension was rising around them, but only they seemed to feel it. Dean turned his head slightly to the left. “I didn’t do anything to piss you off, did I?”

Cas shook his head. “You did nothing, Dean. Like I said, it does not matter. Can we please drop it now?”

Dean nodded, “Yeah, sure. We can drop it.”

Dean knew that something was bothering Cas and it hurt him that he didn’t trust him enough to confide in him about it. It was either something he did and he didn’t feel comfortable confronting him about it or he didn’t trust Dean enough. Both options turned Dean’s stomach.

Instead of getting a snack, Dean bought a bottle of water, hoping it would help settle his stomach. He waited for Cas to buy whatever he’d come for and they walked back to the bleachers in an awkward silence. As soon as they got to their seats, the whole group knew that something had happened between them. Neither would look at the other and they could all feel the tension.

It was only a few minutes before halftime ended and the game continued. Dean focused his mind on Ben and away from thoughts of whatever was going on with Cas. Ben was doing really well out on the field. He reminded Dean of himself when he was in high school. He’d been on the football team too.

Dean threw himself into the game, watching every move, every score, every time out. He didn’t want to think about what was going on inside Cas’s head at the moment. He told himself he’d save that for later when he was alone.

Dean watched the players closely, keeping an eye on where Ben was on the field. Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed movement. He looked and saw a kid the size of an NFL linebacker running full speed towards Ben.

Dean muttered under his breath, “Ben…”

Cas looked at him, he’d been replying to a quick text message and hadn’t seen the kid approaching Ben. He looked up and saw what Dean was watching.

“No…”

The kid was moving fast and Ben didn’t seem to see him. It was as if the whole thing were happening in slow motion for Dean. He wanted to shout, warn Ben to move out of the way, but he felt frozen. That feeling he had earlier, but hadn’t known what it was came back full force and he knew what it was this time. It was dread, a sense that something bad was about to happen. He was watching it happen right in front of his eyes.

The kid slammed into Ben, sending both of them crashing to the ground. They tumbled a couple of times before coming to a stop with the kid on top of Ben. He sat up, leaving Ben laying on the ground.

“Ben!”

He wasn’t moving. The refs and coaches started running towards him onto the field. Dean was on his feet in an instant, broken free from being frozen. He was yelling Ben’s name, running down the bleachers. He was vaguely aware of someone on his heels, but he wasn’t paying it any mind. He was too focused on getting to Ben and making sure he was okay.

He burst through the gate leading onto the track, ignoring the shouts coming from people around him. He was running full speed towards the field, his eyes never leaving Ben’s still form laying on the ground. He made it onto the field with no problem. He was almost to Ben when he slammed into someone.

“Excuse me, sir, you can’t go any farther.”

“That’s my son! Like hell I can’t go any farther!”

There was a look of surprise on the guy’s face when the words registered. He stepped aside and let Dean pass. He made it to Ben’s side, the refs looking up at him.

“Who the hell are you? You need to get back.”

“I’m his father! I’m not going anywhere.”

The refs shared a quick glance, nodding at Dean letting him know he could stay. They glanced at someone behind him, but Dean was too impatient to see who it was. His eyes raked over Ben’s body, taking in every detail, trying to see exactly where he was injured.

“He’s unconscious and his pulse is slow. We need to get him to the hospital. Call the ambulance over here!”

A coach stood and waved his hand in the air for the ambulance. Dean placed a hand on Ben’s shoulder. “Come on, Ben. Hang in there, buddy.”

The ambulance raced over to them, people moving out of the way so as not to get run over. They stopped near where Ben was laying, blocking the view from the bleachers. They quickly checked his pulse before moving him onto a stretcher and securing him to it. They had already removed his helmet, but he was still wearing his other gear.

Dean moved out of the way of the paramedics as they moved him towards the ambulance. It was then when he realized who had followed him onto the field.

“Cas.”

Cas put his hand on Dean’s bicep. “Dean, go with Ben. We’ll meet you at the hospital.”

Dean nodded, his emotions written all over his face. Cas squeezed his arm slightly. “He’s going to be okay, Dean. He’s a tough kid.”

Dean nodded again, moving towards the ambulance doors. He pulled out his keys and tossed them to Cas. “I’ll see you at the hospital.”

He stepped up into the ambulance and sat down next to Ben. He looked up and his eyes connected with Cas’s before the doors were closed. Cas saw the worry and the fear in his eyes. Ben had to be okay, for Dean’s sake.

 

* * *

 

Dean paced the waiting room. Cas and the rest of the group hadn’t arrived yet so he was on his own to face the fear of possibly losing Ben. Again, but this time forever.

He’d raked his hands through his hair so many times it was pretty messed up. The gel had formed in the direction his hands had been going, but Dean really didn’t care how he looked at the moment. His only worry was about Ben being okay. The nurses had tried to calm him down, get him something to drink, keep up a conversation.

He’d brushed them off, saying he was fine. It was obvious he was not fine, but they let him be. They were used to dealing with worrying parents while their child was in critical condition. Sometimes the best course of action was to just let them be.

Finally, he sat down in one of the chairs and put his head into his hands. He repeated to himself in his head that Ben would be okay. He repeated it like a mantra. Ben needed to be okay. He kept reminding himself that when he was Ben’s age, he’d gotten hurt plenty of times playing football and he’d been okay. The other guys on his team had all been okay, so Ben was going to be okay. The doctors would help him and he’d be back on his feet in no time.

Suddenly, a hand came down on Dean’s shoulder and he looked up into the bright blue eyes he’d been longing to see since the ambulance pulled away from the field. “Cas…”

“Dean, have you heard anything yet?”

He shook his head. “No, they rushed him back as soon as we got here and no one’s been out since.”

Sam sat down on Dean’s other side. “That could be a good thing, Dean. That means they’re still helping him and there’s still hope.”

Dean nodded. He needed to hear that. He needed to have faith that Ben would be okay. “Yeah. Yeah, you’re right.”

Dean looked around the waiting room and saw Jo, Gabe, and Benny seated around him as well as Cas and Sam on either side of him. He was very glad his family was there with him because he didn’t know how he would manage waiting until the doctor came out alone.

“Thanks, guys.”

Jo furrowed her brow. “For what?”

“For coming.”

She smiled softly at him. “Of course we did, Dean. We care about him too. He’s family.”

Dean smiled at her. He looked around at his friends again, his family. He didn’t know what he would do without them.

They waited a bit impatiently for a while before Sam stood and stretched his back. “I’m gonna go get a bad cup of coffee. Anyone wanna join me?”

Jo, Gabe, and Benny all stood, stretching a bit. Sam looked down at Cas and Dean. “You guys want anything?”

Dean looked up and shook his head. “No thanks, Sammy.”

Cas shook his head and Sam smiled at the two of them. “We’ll be back soon.”

Dean watched them walk down the hallway before looking back at Cas. He was sitting in the chair next to him, his hands clasped together. He was staring at the far wall. Suddenly, all the things that Dean had fought to wait until later to think about hit him. He remembered their conversation from earlier. He bit his lip and looked away. Now that everything was brought back, he couldn’t stop feeling as if Cas really didn’t trust him. It hurt a lot more than he thought it would.

Cas looked over at Dean to see a look in his eye he’d seen while they were talking at the concession stand. He knew Dean was thinking about it. He knew he needed to confide in him about what was bothering him. He couldn’t lose him. Not over something like this.

He sighed quietly so Dean wouldn’t hear it. “You know…I _was_ jealous, Dean…”

Dean turned to him, confused. “What?”

Cas squirmed a little, becoming a bit uncomfortable. He wasn’t good at these types of conversations. “Earlier at the game.”

It clicked in Dean’s head what Cas meant. He thought over his words carefully, not wanting to say the wrong thing and screw everything up. He could feel the tension around them growing, knowing that Cas was internally freaking out. He could tell by the look in his eyes.

"He's just a friend, Cas. He's one of Ben's teachers and he's been to the bar before. He said he'd keep an eye on Ben for me."

Cas nodded, staring down at his hands. He didn’t know what to say to that. He knew that they were only friends, but something inside of him had twisted seeing the two men so friendly.

Dean reached over and grabbed one of Cas’s hands, holding it in his own. "Cas...you have to believe me, man. I don't...I don't know what's going on here or what the right thing to say or do is, but...I didn't mean to hurt you, Cas."

Cas looked up into Dean’s eyes to see a mixture of fear and longing. He wasn’t quite sure why they were there, but he figured the fear was for Ben. He offered him a small smile. "I know, Dean. You were just being friendly. That's who you are and that's one of the things that...that attracted me to you."

Dean tilted his head just the slightest bit. He hadn’t been expecting to hear that. His heart started racing. "You're attracted to me, Cas?"

Cas bit his lip, his grip becoming slightly tighter in Dean's hand. "Of course I am, Dean."

A small smile starts to creep its way onto Dean’s face, but before he can respond, they hear the group walking down the hallway. Dean glances in their direction before turning back to Cas. “We’ll continue this later, okay?”

Cas sees a flicker of hope in Dean’s eyes and nods. “Of course.”

Cas figured Dean would let go of his hand as their friends approach them, but he doesn’t. Instead, he keeps his grip on Cas’s hand as their friends settle down around them. If anyone noticed the joined hands, nothing was said about it.

Cas handed Dean back his keys and he slipped them into his pocket with his free hand. Jo sipped her coffee and a thought came to her. She looked around at their group, seeing the sullen expressions. “Hey guys! Do you wanna build a snowman?”

They all looked up at her with confused expressions. Dean raised one of his eyebrows. “You do realize that it’s September. In California.”

Her face split into a huge grin. “I know! It was an expression!”

Cas tilted his head. “An expression for what?”

She shrugged, “I dunno. Just sayin’ you all have sullen looks on your faces. I mean, I know why of course, but it’s very depressing. Thought I’d brighten things up a bit.”

Dean chuckled. “You brighten things up a bit with your weird personality.”

Before anything could be said, the doors to the emergency room opened and a doctor walked through. Dean was immediately on his feet, walking towards her. The doctor smiled politely at him. “You must be Ben’s father? I’m Dr. Moira Isles.”

Dean nodded. He technically wasn’t his father, but he was the closest thing Ben would ever have. “Yeah, uh, Dean Winchester. Is he gonna be okay?”

The doctor nodded, smiling. “He has a pretty bad concussion which knocked him out for a while as well as low blood pressure and a hairline crack on his skull. He’s resting now. We’re giving him some medication to increase his blood pressure and get it up to where it should be. As for playing sports, I’d say he should be fine to continue this season, but I’m going to advise the athletic trainer not to let him play in next week’s game. I’d prefer to have some time for his body to get back to the way it should be before throwing him out into another football game.”

Dean nodded, exhaling a breath. He felt the tension leave his shoulders. “That’s great, doc. Thank you so much. When can I see him?”

“You can see him now, but no promises that he’ll be awake for a while. I’ll have a nurse take you to him while I fill in the rest of your family if you wish.”

Dean nodded, and turned towards his family. He pointed out who is brother was before following the nurse who appeared. They walked down a hallway before getting into an elevator. They’d moved him to a room upstairs away from the emergency room to get him comfortable. The nurse walked up to a room and opened the door. “If you need anything, just press the button and a nurse will be with you.”

He smiled at her. “Thank you.”

She left him alone in the room. He moved towards the bed, not liking seeing Ben laying there motionless. He was just thankful he was only hooked up to an IV and heart monitor, no other machines.

He sat down in a chair next to the bed, taking his hand. “Ben…”

He watched Ben sleep for a few minutes before there was a soft knock on the door. He looked up in time to watch the door open and Cas, Sam, Gabe, Jo, and Benny walk in. They smiled softly at him before taking up positions around the room. Dean let go of Ben’s hand, but stayed right next to him. He wasn’t going anywhere for a while.

“What color are your shoes?”

They all turned and looked at Gabe who was staring down at Jo’s shoes. Her brow furrowed. “What?”

He shrugged. “I’m just wondering…what color would you say your shoes are? Blue, navy, cerulean?”

Jo shook her head incredulously at him. “You are so weird, Gabe.”

He looked up at her with a stupid grin on his face. “That’s what I’m here for! I’m the comic relief.”

Dean chuckled, shaking his head. He was starting to feel better about the situation, but he knew he would feel even better when Ben woke up. He didn’t have to wait too long, however, because Ben started to show signs of waking up.

Dean turned his attention back to Ben and watched as his eyelids flickered for a moment and then opened. They were unsteady for a few seconds as they adjusted to the different surroundings. He turned his head slightly and looked at Dean, frowning. “Where am I?”

Dean leaned forward. “You’re in the hospital. You were tackled during the game and knocked unconscious. How are you feeling?”

Ben nodded, “I have a killer headache, but otherwise I’m fine.” His eyes moved past Dean and saw everyone sitting around his hospital room. He smiled tiredly at them. “What are all you guys doing here?”

Jo scoffed. “We’re your family, Ben! We are here because we love you and wanted to make sure you were okay. You _are_ okay, right? No lasting brain damage?”

Ben chuckled. “I don’t think there’s any, but of course you could get brain damage from hanging around Gabe for too long.”

They all laughed at Gabe’s expense, but after a moment Gabe gave up trying to act offended and laughed along with them, shrugging. “Hey, what can I say? The kid has a sense of humor!”

Dean rolled his eyes, turning back to Ben. “I’m just glad you’re okay.”

Ben smiled at him, not sure what to say. Sam stood, clearing his throat. “Well, it’s getting late. I think we’re going to head out, let Ben get some sleep and everything. We’ll come by tomorrow and see how you’re doing.”

Ben smiled at the group who stood. “Thanks, guys. I appreciate it.”

They all smiled at him, nodding, telling him that’s what family is for. They were walking towards the door when Gabe looked back. “Cas, you comin’?”

Cas looked at him and shook his head. “I’m going to stay a little longer if that is okay with them.”

Dean smiled at Cas, “Yeah, Cas, it’s fine.”

Cas smiled and looked back at Gabe. “I will talk to you tomorrow.”

Gabe nodded, glancing back and forth between Dean and Cas for a moment before leaving the room. After a moment, Dean stood. “I’m gonna go ask the doctor a quick question. I’ll be right back.”

They both nodded at him, watching him walk out the door and turn the opposite way that their friends had gone. “So…how bad did Dean freak out?”

Cas looked over at Ben who was still looking at the closed door Dean had just walked through. “When the coaches and refs started running towards you, he shouted your name and ran from the bleachers. I followed him. A ref stopped him at the field, saying he couldn’t go any further, but he said that you were his son and that he needed to get to you. When he reached you, another ref asked him who he was. He said that he was your father. He refused to take his eyes off of you or let them keep him from getting to you. Before he climbed into the ambulance after you…he looked scared. He wasn’t sure what was going on. When we arrived here, we found him sitting in the waiting room with his head in his hands. He was freaking out. He’s very relieved that you are okay. We all are.”

Ben nodded, his eyes locked with Cas’s. “He called me his son?”

Cas smiled softly, nodding. “Yes. You are a son to him, Ben. You mean the world to him.”

Ben looked away, a smile forming on his lips. He thought over Cas’s words, letting them sink in completely. Dean had ran off the bleachers and onto the field to see if he was okay. He’d called him his son. Hearing that meant everything to Ben.

Dean walked in a few moments later. “Looks like you’re staying the night. They want to keep an eye on you, make sure there are no side effects from the concussion. I figured they would, but I wanted to make sure.”

Dean sat back down in the chair next to Ben’s bed, smiling at Ben. “Oh, I got a text a little bit ago. You guys won the game.”

Ben’s eyes lit up a little more. “We did?”

He nodded. “Yeah, pretty epically too from what I hear.”

The three of them made good conversation for a good hour before Ben’s eyes started to droop. Cas smiled. “I think I’m going to head home, let you get some sleep.”

Ben nodded tiredly. “Night, Cas. I’ll see you tomorrow.”

Cas nodded, standing. “Yes, I will see you tomorrow, Ben. Good night.”

Dean looked down at Ben, his eyes already sliding shut. “I’ll be right back, Ben. I’m going to walk him out.”

Ben nodded, knowing they were going to have a moment and wasn’t about to ruin it. Dean stood and followed Cas out the door and through the hospital. “How are you going to get home, Cas?”

Cas paused mid-step. He hadn’t thought about that. He’d forgotten he didn’t have his car. “I…I’m not sure.”

Dean chuckled, pulling his keys out of his pocket. “Here, take the impala. I’m not going anywhere tonight. I’m going to stay here with Ben.”

Cas nodded, taking the keys from him as they started towards the parking lot again now that he knew how he was getting home. “I will bring her back tomorrow morning. Do you need me to bring you anything?”

Dean thought about it. “Maybe stop by the house and grab me a change of clothes if you don’t mind. I’d rather not wear the same outfit tomorrow.”

Cas chuckled. “That is no problem, Dean. I do not mind.”

“Thanks, Cas. I appreciate it. Just don’t scratch my baby or I’ll kill you.”

Cas looked at him and smiled. “She is in good hands, Dean, do not worry. I will not harm her.”

“Good, you better not.” They reached the impala and Dean stalled, not really wanting him to go, but wanting to get back to Ben. “Uh, listen, Cas…about our conversation earlier-.”

“Dean, we do not need to talk about it now. You need to get back to Ben.”

Dean shook his head. “Ben’s probably out cold by now. I want to.”

Cas nodded, looking down at his hands. Dean reached out and took both of his hands, stepping closer to him so that they were only a foot apart. “Cas…what I didn’t have time to say earlier was…I, uh, I’m attracted to you too.”

Cas looked up into Dean’s eyes, searching for any signs of deceit and finding none. “Really?”

Dean chuckled softly. “Would I lie to you?”

Cas shook his head, “No, you wouldn’t.”

Dean smiled, taking another step forward. “Do you remember when we first met? Back at the bar?”

Cas nodded. “The day you left to go bail your father out.”

Dean nodded. “Yeah. Do you remember how we both kind of froze when our eyes locked?”

Cas smiled at the memory. “Yes, I do remember that. Gabriel and Sam seemed awkward.”

Dean chuckled. “Yeah. Now, if you can’t tell I’m attracted to you after that…there have been plenty of signs.”

“I thought you were straight.”

Dean shook his head. “Nah, I’d say I qualify as swinging both ways.”

Cas’s heart had been racing, but it was picking up speed once again. Dean was so close now. He’d kept moving forward the slightest bit between sentences. He was standing only inches from him now.

Dean lifted his hand and placed it on Cas’s cheek. He bent forward a little ways and waited for Cas to come the extra distance. When their lips met, the world around them seemed to disappear and fall away from them. It was only the two of them, standing together with their lips joined.

Their hearts were racing. Dean moved his other hand so it was resting on Cas’s waist as Cas’s hands landed on his chest, gripping his shirt lightly and holding on. The kiss lasted for what felt like only seconds, but what was actually a few minutes. It hadn’t just been one kiss, but several; a confirmation of their feelings for each other.

Dean pulled away the slightest bit and looked down into Cas’s cerulean eyes. “Good night, Cas.”

Cas smiled up at him. “Good night, Dean.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, so this was the LAST chapter for the reference contest. That is why I added so many reference for you to guess. There are 8 references in this chapter. The only hint I will give you is that supernatural references DO count. Usually. There is one supernatural reference. There. Only hint. Good luck to all! Also, hoped you enjoyed the destiel moment! ^.^


	10. Blood Doesn't Make Family

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Family moments, destiel moments...some good stuff.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So. This is the moment you have all been waiting for.....
> 
>  
> 
> The chapter after the destiel kiss. ENJOY! ^.^

**Chapter 10**

The next morning, Cas woke up with a smile on his face. He couldn’t believe that Dean had kissed him let alone several times. Besides getting jealous over Dean’s friend and Ben getting hurt, yesterday had been a very good day. He’d helped Dean find the perfect house for them, he’d gotten to spend lots of time with him as well as Ben and Sam. He’d cheered on Ben during his game. He’d found out Dean was attracted to him as well. And, best of all, he’d been kissed by him.

He rolled out of bed and took a shower, letting the hot water run down his body, soaking into every pore. He didn’t want to get out, but he did. He was excited to go see Dean, but nervous at the same time. Was it going to be awkward after kissing him the night before? What were they exactly? They weren’t together, but they weren’t just friends anymore either. They were in that awkward phase between something more and something less.

Cas got dressed in jeans and a t-shirt, opting out of his usual attired of dress pants and white collared dress shirt. Today was Saturday and it was more relaxing. He didn’t have to work, so he wanted to be comfortable and still look good. He tried and failed to tame his hair. He ended up with this mess that looked like he’d just had sex.

Once he had brushed his teeth, got his shoes and socks on, and was ready to go, he grabbed the keys to the impala and walked out the door. He had to make a stop at Dean’s house to pick up some clothes for him. He figured he’d also pick up his phone charger so he’d still have his phone if he needed it. Maybe he’d pick them up some breakfast before he got to the hospital. Before he started the engine, he sent a quick text to Dean asking if he and Ben wanted him to pick up any food, assuring him he didn’t mind at all.

He drove the fifteen minutes to Dean’s house, tapping his thumbs on the steering wheel the entire way. He was getting antsy. He pulled into Dean’s driveway and climbed out of the impala. He walked up to the front door, unlocked it, and walked inside. He thought he might feel weird being here without Dean or Ben here but he didn’t. He’d been in this house so many times that he felt at home.

He pocketed the keys as he walked through the house to Dean’s room. His room was tidy as always. He’d never seen Dean’s room a mess and he figured he never would. That’s the kind of person Dean was. He was a bit OCD about his room, but Cas thought it was a good thing. It meant his room would never be disgusting or disorganized. It made things very efficient.

Cas found a bag sitting in his closet and pulled it out. He’d use it for Dean’s clothes. He wasn’t exactly sure what Dean would want to wear, but he decided to pick the clothes that Cas thought looked exceptionally good on him. He pulled out a blue plaid button down with a black t-shirt. He grabbed a pair of dark-washed jeans, a fresh pair of socks and a clean pair of boxers. He folded them neatly into the bag so that they wouldn’t wrinkle and then went into the bathroom. He’d only said clothes, but he knew Dean would feel better if he could brush his teeth.

He grabbed his tooth brush and toothpaste as well as his hair gel in case he wanted to fix his hair and his deodorant. He stuffed all the items into the bag, as well as his charger, and zipped it up. He felt his phone go off, so he pulled it out and saw he had a text from Dean. It was a food order for himself and Ben. At the end it said that he would see him soon with a smiley face.

Cas smiled at the text. He pushed his phone back into his pocket, deciding not to respond as he would be at the hospital soon. He picked the bag up and walked out of the house, locking the door behind him. He dropped the bag into the passenger seat and started up the impala.

He pulled out and drove to one of Dean’s favorite fast food places. Dean didn’t get fast food often, but when he did this was one of his favorites. He read off the order from the text, throwing in his own order and pulled to the next window. He paid the girl and pulled up to the next window, waiting patiently for his food. It took a couple of minutes, as it was a good-sized order. He placed the food on the seat next to him, thanked the girl and drove away in the direction of the hospital.

Pulling into the parking lot, he spotted a parking spot near the door and pulled into it. He stepped out of the car and walked around to the other side, opening the door. He slung the bag over his shoulder and picked the food up. He made sure to leave a hand free for a moment to close the door without scratching it.

It only took him a few minutes to reach the correct floor and then find the room that Ben was staying in. He knocked softly on the door before pushing it open. He found Dean passed out on the couch, an arm hanging off the side. Ben was sitting up watching tv. He looked up as Cas walked in and smiled.

“Hey, Cas. Oooh, food. Is some of that for me?”

Cas chuckled and nodded, setting the bags down on the rolling table for Ben’s bed. “Yes, it is. I got all of us some food. I hope you are hungry.”

Ben nodded furiously. “Are you kidding? I’m starving! And when Dean wakes up, he will be too. Guaranteed.”

Cas chuckled and sat down in a chair near the bed. He split up their food, leaving Dean’s in the bag to stay warm while he slept. He thought about waking him, but he figured Dean had stayed up pretty late and needed his sleep.

They ate their food and talked about the show that Ben had been watching when Cas walked in. He’d been watching an episode of The Big Bang Theory. Ben admitted that he’d had a hard time keeping his laughter from waking Dean. Another episode came on and the two sat there watching it, laughing and talking together about it. Both of them found it hilarious at times.

It wasn’t too long before Dean began to stir. He opened his eyes and immediately smelled food. He turned his head and found Cas sitting there with Ben watching tv.

“Cas. When’d you get here?”

Cas looked away from the tv, smiling. “About half an hour ago. I didn’t want to wake you as I figured you barely got any sleep last night.”

Dean chuckled, sitting up and rubbing the sleep from his eyes. “Yeah, you’re right about that. Usually I can sleep anywhere, but this couch isn’t exactly the most comfortable. Do I smell food?”

Cas chuckled and leaned over, grabbing the bag and handing it to Dean. “Here you go, Dean. It might still be warm.”

Dean shrugged. “Don’t care if it is. I’ll still eat it. I’m starving.”

Ben laughed, “Told you, Cas. I knew he would be.”

Cas smiled widely at Ben, nodding. “Yes, he is very predictable in that way.”

Dean grumbled around his sandwich. “Hey. I am not predictable.”

Ben and Cas both turned to Dean, smiling. “Yes, you are.”

“Well, I see I’m outnumbered. You win. This time.”

Ben turned back to the tv as Dean was practically devouring his breakfast. Dean looked up from his sandwich and realized for the first time that Cas wasn’t wearing his usual outfit. “No trench coat today?”

Cas chuckled, shaking his head. “I did not feel like wearing my usual attire. Since I do not work today, I thought it appropriate to wear jeans and a t-shirt.”

Dean nodded, looking at his hair. “What did you do to your hair? It looks like you just rolled out of bed from having sex.”

Cas frowned. “I have not had sex, Dean. I tried to…tame it slightly, but it didn’t work that well.”

Dean smiled softly at him. “It did work, Cas. It looks good. Trust me.”

Cas blushed slightly and looked away, making Dean’s smile grow. Dean finished his food and cleaned up the trash, throwing it into the small trash can at the end of the couch. He looked around and spotted the bag that Cas had brought his clothes in. He stood, stretching his back.

Cas looked over when he caught movement at the corner of his eye and was greeted with the sight of Dean raising his arms above his head to stretch his back out. His shirt rose a bit, revealing a strip of tanned skin that had Cas’s nether regions squirming at the sight. He gulped and forced himself to look away before he did or said something to embarrass himself.

Dean had seen the look on Cas’s face when he’d looked over at him and seen the strip of his stomach that had been revealed. He couldn’t help the gigantic smile that graced his face at the sight. He picked up the bag, smiling in Cas’s direction. “Thanks for the clothes, Cas. I appreciate it.”

Cas looked up at him and nodded. “It was no problem, Dean. I understand the need to feel comfortable.”

Dean took the bag into the bathroom in the room and shut the door. He unzipped it and found more than just a change of clothes. He smiled to himself, wondering how he’d gotten so lucky.

 

**SPN**

Dean’s eyes were fixed on the tv, but he wasn’t paying any attention to it. He’d zoned out quite a while ago after Cas had left. He’d needed to run a few errands and had promised to be back in a couple of hours. Of course, he’d taken the impala, but Dean didn’t mind. He wasn’t using it and Cas’s car was at home.

Dr Isles had come in and told them that Ben was being released shortly, but that had been over an hour ago. Sam and the rest of the group, including Ellen, Bobby, Charlie, and Ash, had stopped by at different times to see how Ben was doing. Dean could tell that it made his day every time a different person walked through the door to say hi.

Dean’s mind kept wandering back to Cas and the kiss they’d shared the night before. He definitely didn’t regret it. He’d wanted to kiss him for a long time. He wanted to kiss him again,  but didn’t know exactly how to accomplish that. He wasn’t sure what they technically were. They weren’t dating, but they weren’t friends, so what were they? He definitely didn’t want to be friends with benefits. He respected Cas and cared about him way too much for that to happen. He wanted something more.

That thought struck him hard. He hadn’t wanted ‘something more’ with anyone since he’d been with Lisa. There’d been no one appealing to him since they’d broken up until Cas had appeared in the bar one night thanks to Sam.

There was one more thing that he had to think about when it came to Cas. He had to think about Ben first before himself. First he needed to talk to Cas and find out what exactly they were doing and then he’d talk to Ben. He needed to see how Ben felt about a possible relationship between him and Cas. He wouldn’t risk Ben’s wellbeing for his own happiness. Ben came first, that’s just the way it would always be. He knew that Cas would understand, he just hoped that Ben would as well.

He pulled out of his thoughts by Ben calling his name. “Dean. Dean? Hello? You in there?”

Dean snapped back into reality and turned towards him. “Did you say something?”

Ben chuckled. “Thinking about Cas, huh?”

Dean sat up a little from his slouched position. “What makes you think I was thinking about Cas?”

Ben smiled knowingly. “I’m smart like that. So, was I right?”

Dean cleared his throat, looking down at his hands for a brief moment before looking around the room awkwardly.

“I knew it. So, have you guys kissed yet? The tension has been unbearable.”

Dean’s flew up to meet Ben’s. “Seriously?”

Ben shrugged. “What? You guys obviously like each other. Everyone can see it. You just need to admit it to yourself and to each other, then everyone will be happy!”

Dean tilted his head the slightest bit, staring at Ben trying to read him. “So, you’re okay with Cas and I? Together?”

Ben rolled his eyes. “Why wouldn’t I be? You guys are great together. And you make each other happy. That’s all I want.”

Dean smiled softly at him. “Yeah, we’ve told each other.”

Ben’s face lit up. “Finally! It’s about time! Did you kiss?”

Dean rolled his eyes at him. “We are not talking anymore about my love life.”

“You did! Yes! Does Sam know yet?”

Dean shook his head. “No, you’re the only one as far as I know.”

Ben nodded, “Okay. I’ll keep my mouth shut and let you know everyone. Just let me know when you do.”

Dean smiled, nodding at his son. “You got it, kid.”

Ben looked down at his hands. Dean could feel the air turn serious all of a sudden. “Dean…can I ask you something?”

“Yeah, of course you can.”

Ben played with the hem of the blanket currently covering his legs. “Do you really think of me as your son?”

Dean smiled softly at him. “Yeah, I do.”

Ben looked up into Dean’s eyes and found complete honesty.

“Ben, blood doesn’t mean anything. It may mean you’re related, but it doesn’t make you family. What makes you family is when you love someone and you care about them. Genes have absolutely nothing to do with it. The only ones in our little family who are related are Sammy and I, and Ellen and Jo. I’ve been taking care of him since he was just a baby. I practically raised that kid and he means the world to me. When Sam and I moved here, I put out an ad to hire people for the bar. That’s when I found Ellen and Bobby, Jo, Benny, Ash…Jo is my little sister. Benny’s my brother and Ash…Ash is like the weird cousin that everyone loves, but thinks is weird. We’ve been a family for a long time. Then I met you and your mom and you both became my family too. Even after your mom and I broke up, you were always going to be my son, no matter what. Then Charlie and Gabe came into the picture. Charlie’s definitely my little sister, no doubt about it. Gabe…I don’t even know. He’s definitely family, but…he’s the comic relief, we’ll leave it at that. Hell, one day he’ll probably be your uncle if the looks I’ve been seeing ever pan out.”

Ben smiled. “And then there’s Cas who has made you happier than Mom ever did. And don’t say it’s not true because I see the way you two look at each other and how you interact. You’re happier with him. He’ll be my step-dad someday.”

Dean chuckled. “Maybe. But you see, blood means nothing. We’re all family because we all love each other, we protect each other, and we’d do anything for each other.”

Ben nodded, “They all went to my game to support me. That…meant a lot when I say all of you sitting up in the bleachers. I figured it’d only be you and Cas.”

Dean smiled. “They all love you. Jo’s ecstatic that she now has someone to go to sporting events for. Benny is too. You should have seen his face when the game started. I don’t think Gabe really knew what was going on, but he was watching you out there.”

Ben nodded, “So…what about your dad? I know your mom died, but…I never hear anything about your dad.”

Dean thought his words over carefully. “My dad is a drunk who has wasted his life and pushed everyone who ever cared about him away after my mom died. He was a horrible father. He’s the reason I had to raise Sammy myself. He’s not my family. He…He’s tried to kill me twice. The first time I wrote it off as him being drunk and not in control of his actions, but the second time…I’m not making excuses for him anymore nor am I ever bailing him out of jail again. If I ever see him again, I’m going to call the cops and have him arrested. As far as I’m concerned…Bobby is my father.”

Ben frowned. He’d had no idea. “Why did he try to kill you? You’re awesome.”

Dean chuckled, shaking his head. “I have no idea. And it doesn’t really matter because it’s over.” A thought came to him suddenly. His brow furrowed and he looked up at Ben. “Hey, Ben, how did you know I think of you as my son?”

Ben shrugged. “Cas told me last night that you told the refs that you were my father, that I’m your son.”

Dean smiled to himself. “Of course he did. Good ole Cas.”

 

Dean signed his name on several papers before finally handing them back to the nurse and turning towards Cas and Ben. Ben was finally being released.

“You guys ready? We’re all set here.”

Ben nodded, “I am definitely ready to get out of here.”

Dean chuckled and wrapped his arm around Ben’s shoulders, steering him down the hallway towards the elevators. “I don’t blame you. At all. How about we go home and I’ll make us some supper.”

Ben smiled. “Yes! Your special burgers?”

Dean laughed, “Of course.”

Ben looked over at Cas who was walking on Dean’s other side. “Have you had Dean’s special burgers yet, Cas?”

Cas shook his head. “I do not believe that I have.”

Dean intertwined his fingers with Cas’s, smiling at him. “Well, you’re about to. If you wanna come over, that is.”

Cas smiled at him. “Of course, Dean, as long as I am not intruding.”

Ben scoffed. “You’re never intruding. I don’t think that’s in your personality.”

Dean laughed, nodding along with him. “I agree with Ben. You’re never intruding.”

Cas’s smile widened at the two of them. He loved Dean’s cooking almost as much as he loved spending time with both of them.

Dean smiled at him, squeezing his hand slightly. “It’ll be great. I’d invite everyone, but…we won’t have the room to do that until next week.”

Cas chuckled. “When do you get the keys?”

“She said Friday at the latest, so we’ll probably move in Saturday or Sunday depending on what’s going on and what everyone else is doing.”

Cas nodded, “Well, you know I will be there to help, so you have at least one person.”

Dean’s smile widened. “That’s good to hear. The more hands the better. I plan on buying everyone food who helps. I’d just make it myself, but who knows what the state of the kitchen will be like at that point. It’d be easier to just order something.”

“I agree, Dean. I would say ordering the food would do just fine.”

The elevator doors opened and they stepped inside. Dean let go of Cas’s hand to press the button for the floor they were going to and then immediately returned his hand to Cas’s.

It didn’t take long for them to reach their destination and they stepped out, walking in the direction of the parking lot. They kept up a steady conversation as they walked through the hospital and then out to the impala. Dean and Cas climbed into the front while Ben stretched out on the back seat.

It didn’t take long to get to the house. Once inside, Dean took off his boots and then immediately got to work whipping up some of his special burgers. Cas walked up and leaned against the counter where Dean was cooking. “Do you need any help, Dean?”

Dean shook his head, smiling at him. “Nah, I’m good, but thanks.”

Before Cas could respond, Den’s phone started to ring from the table. Dean looked up. “Hey, Cas, could you get that for me? My hands are covered in hamburger.”

Cas nodded and retrieved the phone, looking at the caller ID. “It’s Sam.”

He accepted the call and held the phone to his ear. “Hello?”

“Cas?”

“Yes, Sam. Your brother is currently making burgers.”

“Oh! Are they his special burgers?”

“Yes, they are.”

“I was calling to see if Dean minds if I stay tonight. If he’s making his burgers, then I’m definitely coming over.”

Cas pulled the phone away from his ear slightly. “He’s calling to see if you mind if he stays tonight.”

Dean snorted. “Tell him of course I don’t.”

He turned back to the phone. “Dean says of course he doesn’t mind.”

“Awesome, okay. I’ll pack a bag and then go catch the bus.”

“Okay. Oh, Sam! Why don’t you go to my apartment and get my car. There is a house key in the driver’s side wheel well of my car and the spare car key is by the front door.”

“Okay, sounds good. I’m guessing you’ve been driving the impala then. Well, I’ll see you guys soon!”

There was a click before Cas could respond signaling that Sam hung up. Cas set the phone down and leaned back against the counter. “Sam is going to bring my car so you do not need to take me home at some point.”

Dean nodded, keeping his eyes on what he was doing. “Since Sam is coming over for the night, this will probably be the only chance we’ll get to talk.”

“Talk about what, Dean?”

“About us.”

Cas paused. His nerves grew and Dean seemed to sense it because he looked up at him. “Don’t worry, Cas. It’s nothing bad. I just…I don’t know exactly where we stand and I’d like to know.”

Cas nodded, looking down at his hands. “Yes, I would like that as well.”

Dean inhaled a breath. “Okay, well…First, I want to say that I talked to Ben about it because I wanted to make sure he was cool with it before anything did happen.”

Cas continued nodding. “Understandable as he is your son.”

Dean smiled softly, glad that Cas understood. “Well, he was very okay with it. He was even excited about it.”

Cas chuckled. “That does not surprise me. I think he has been conspiring to get us together. He probably has had help too.”

“Yeah, probably, but I don’t really care because…Well…I have you now.” He looked up and met Cas’s eyes. They were shining with happiness at that comment. Dean’s smile faltered the slightest bit and Cas could sense his nerves.

“Uh, speaking of, Cas…I was wondering…Would you, uh, wanna go to dinner with me sometime? You know, as a date?”

Cas grinned. “Of course I would, Dean.”

Dean’s face lit up and he leaned over to Cas, pressing his lips to his and relishing in the feeling. When he pulled back, he was still smiling. “Good.”

Cas chuckled, tilting his head in amusement. “What should we tell the others?”

Dean thought it over for a minute, considering his options. “If it’s alright with you, I’d like to keep it between the three of us for a few days. I want to tell them all together and not at the bar.”

Cas smiled. “I understand your reasoning. I feel the same way. Maybe while we are at your new house a good time will arise.”

Dean nodded, thinking it over. “That’s a good idea, Cas. That way we’re all together and not out in public. It’s perfect. Just one more reason why I can’t wait for this weekend. I’ll get to tell everyone I care for about my new boyfriend.”

Cas’s chuckle vibrated through Dean’s back. “Yes, I cannot wait either. It’ll be interesting to say the least.”

Ben stuck his head into the kitchen. “Hey, Dean, do we have any boxes?”

Dean looked over his shoulder. “Uh…we might in the basement, but I doubt it. I’ll pick some up from the bar.”

Ben nodded and walked out, back to his room to get busy doing whatever it was he did. Cas looked back at Dean. “I’ll see if I can find any. I may have some at my apartment.”

“Awesome. I appreciate it, Cas. Hey, remember when you asked if I needed any help?”

Cas nodded. “Have you changed your mind?”

Dean’s smile could be heard as he spoke. “Yeah, uh, could you start the potatoes? And go ask Ben how many burgers he’ll eat?”

Cas stepped away from the counter. “Of course. I will be right back.”

Cas walked down the hall towards Ben’s room. He knocked lightly on the door before peering inside. “Ben? Dean would like to know how many burgers you will eat.”

Ben looked up from his laptop. “Uh…two. But have him make me an extra one for later, please.”

Cas nodded, shutting the door and returning to the kitchen. “He says two for now and an extra for later.”

Dean chuckled. “The kid eats like I do. How many do you want? I already know that Sam will eat one and a salad.”

“I will eat two, I think. If I cannot finish, I can always take it home and eat it tomorrow.”

Dean nodded, forming clumps of hamburger into patties. He’d added different ingredients to make them better than just plain hamburger. It was a special recipe from a box he’d found. It had belonged to his mother.

“So, Dean, how did you learn to cook?”

Dean paused for a moment before answering, a soft smile playing with his lips. “My mom taught me before she died. I would always help her make dinner. Sometimes I’d even help with breakfast during the week. On the weekends, I’d help her with lunch if I wasn’t busy doing something. Sometimes I think…that maybe she knew she was going to die. That’s why she taught me everything she did…so I could take care of Sammy in case Dad did exactly what he did.”

Cas looked up from preparing the potatoes, watching Dean carefully. “How did she die?”

Dean concentrated on forming the patties. “I never got any details. I was only six when she died. I guess everyone thought I was too young to know more than just she wasn’t ever going to come home again.”

Cas was silent for a moment, taking in his posture, the slight tension in his shoulders, the concentration on his face. “You miss her a lot.”

Dean nodded. “Yeah, I do. She was the best. She, uh…She would sing to me every night before bed. Hey Jude by the Beatles. It was her favorite song.”

Cas tilted his head slightly. “That’s your favorite song.”

Dean smiled softly. “Yeah. Every time I hear it, I think of her. She was so happy. She taught me how to play the guitar too. Well, she was starting to show me…we’d only made it through a few chords before she died. I continued with it though. I knew she wanted me to know how to play, so I made sure I knew.”

“Do you still play?”

Dean nodded, “Yeah, sometimes. I haven’t in a while with everything going on, but when Sammy was little, he’d ask me to play him a song so he could fall asleep.”

“What did you play for him?”

Dean looked up at him, a small smile on his face. “Hey Jude.”

 

Sam walked through the door to Dean’s house about half an hour after he’d gotten off the phone with Cas. He heard sizzling and knew that the burgers were being cooked. It wouldn’t be too long before they were done and he could dig in. He set Cas’s keys down on the small table where Dean kept his keys before walking into the kitchen. Dean was standing in front of the stove, flipping burgers, while Cas was preparing the salad for the two of them.

“Hey guys. How’s supper comin’?”

Dean looked up from the burgers. “Heya, Sammy. The burgers are almost done, the potatoes are done, green beans have just a minute or two left.”

Cas looked up. “The salad is done as well.”

Sam nodded, stuffing his hands into his pockets. “Awesome. Should I go get Ben then?”

Dean nodded, “Yeah, might as well. The burgers will be done any minute.”

Sam headed down the hallway and poked his head into Ben’s room. “Hey, Ben. Food’s just about done.”

Ben looked up, confused. “Hey, Sam. When did you get here?”

Sam stepped into the room fully. “Just now. I came for the night, figured it’s been awhile since I’ve hung out with the two of you outside of being at the bar. I didn’t realize Cas would be here, though I should have guessed.”

Ben’s face lit up a bit. “Yeah, of course Cas is here. Are you kidding? They’re practically inseparable!”

Sam chuckled, “Yeah, that they are. Hopefully soon they’ll get together. They’re showing signs of getting close.”

Ben bit his lip, not wanting to betray Dean, but not wanting to lie to Sam either. Sam saw the look and narrowed his eyes. “What do you know?”

Ben shook his head. “I told Dean I wouldn’t say anything…”

Sam stepped forward and sat down on the edge of the bed. “I won’t tell Dean you told me. He’ll never know. What’s up? What don’t I know?”

Ben bit his lip again, glancing at the door. It only took him another moment to completely give in. “Fine. If Dean finds out I told you though, I’m dead.”

Sam held up two fingers. “Boy Scout’s honor. Now spill.”

“Okay. So, while we were at the hospital earlier today, Dean asked me how I felt about the two of them seeing each other. I told him I was perfectly fine with it. I was all for it. I mean, really, we’ve been trying to get them together for a while now. Turns out they kissed yesterday!”

Sam’s eyes widened. “What?! Really? When?”

“I’m pretty sure it was after you guys left. Cas ended up leaving and taking the impala home. Dean walked him out. I fell asleep, so I don’t know how long he was gone, but…my best guess is they kissed when he walked Cas out to the car.”

“That’s huge! Are they together then or what?”

Ben shrugged. “They were holding hands while walking out of the hospital. Cas sat up front with him coming home. They’ve been standing awfully close today too. You should have seen some of the looks they were throwing at each other before I was released. I pretended not to see them, but I was keeping an eye on them.”

Sam nodded, taking in the information. “Okay, good. Wow…Are they going to tell us?”

Ben nodded, “I was kind of eavesdropping a little bit on accident. I went to ask Dean a question and caught the end of their conversation. They’re going to tell everyone when we move into the new house. Dean wants everyone together and not while they’re out in public.”

Sam chuckled. “Sounds like Dean. Okay, if we don’t get back out there, they’re going to get suspicious and then Dean’s gonna come in here.”

Ben nodded, hopping up off his bed and followed Sam out of his room and down the hallway towards the kitchen. When they walked in, Dean looked up from taking the burgers out of the pan. “Where have you guys been? Took you long enough.”

Sam shrugged. “Just making conversation. Asked him how school was going, you know…that sort of thing.”

Dean nodded suspiciously. “Okay…Well, the food’s done if you wanna grab something to drink and sit down.”

Cas grabbed a beer for himself and Dean before sitting down. Dean set the plate full of burgers down on the table next to the potatoes and green beans before sitting down next to Cas. Sam and Ben grabbed a pop each and sat down. They all dug into their food, mumbling to Dean how good it was.

They ate supper, keeping up conversations about the bar, school for Ben, Sam, and Cas, and then Sam brought up a topic Dean hadn’t been expecting.

“So, Dean…have you heard anything about Dad?”

Dean looked up from his beer, looking at Sam for a long moment before answering him. “No. I haven’t talked to Jody for a few weeks. She said she’d call me if she had anything.”

Sam nodded, playing with his can of soda. “Do you…uh, Do you think he’ll come here?”

Ben was looking back and forth between the two brothers, feeling the tension in the air growing. He didn’t know what they were talking about, but it didn’t seem good.

“I don’t know, Sammy. It’s been weeks, so my guess is he’s in some bar getting wasted. Again.”

“What about the two guys he was with?”

Dean shrugged. “I don’t know. Jody has a warrant out for them, but who knows if they’ll ever get caught. If they do end up showing up here, none of them will know where I live because we’re moving. So there’s nothing to worry about.”

Sam nodded, “Yeah, but they could easily figure out where the bar is. You’re not there alone at all, are you?”

Dean huffed. “Sam, I can take care of myself.”

“Obviously not against them given what happened last time. I just don’t want anything happening to you, Dean.”

“Nothing’s going to happen to me, Sam. No, I’m hardly ever there alone. The only time I am is when I’m opening it up or sometimes when I’m closing everything down. Lately, Benny and Gabe have been staying and helping me close. They’re probably just as worried as you are.”

Sam was nodding again. “Good. You shouldn’t be there alone. You’re responsible for more than just yourself now, Dean. You have to think about that.”

Dean glanced in Ben’s direction who was looking at him confused. “Dean, what’s Sam talking about?”

Dean sighed, shaking his head. “Nothing you have to worry about, Ben.”

“I’m not going to lose another parent, am I?”

Dean’s heart just about shattered at the fear in Ben’s eyes. He smiled softly at him. “No, you’re not going to lose anyone. I’m not going anywhere. Why don’t you go find us all a movie to watch, hm?”

Ben nodded, standing up. He left the room, glancing back in Dean’s direction. As soon as he was out of sight, he braced himself against the wall to listen to the rest of the conversation.

Dean turned his eyes on Sam, glaring at him. “How about you drop it? He’s not coming after me. If he were, he would have already done it by now. He’s probably just hiding out in a bar somewhere waiting for the heat to die down on him before he goes crawling back home only to get thrown in jail again and need me to come bail him out again. Which I’m not going to do. Everything’s going to be fine.”

Sam bit his lip, not wanting to upset neither Dean nor Ben. He just wanted Dean to be a bit more careful so that nothing happened to him.

Dean ran a hand through his hair. “Sam…I understand that you’re worried. You don’t want anything happening to me, I get it. Hell, I’ve been doing that with you for your entire life. But I can’t live my life looking over my shoulder constantly, worrying that he’s going to just show up. Do I need to be cautious until he’s found? Sure. But I’m not going to stop doing what I’ve always been doing just because our dad is a drunk prick. I’m doing what I need to do to keep a roof over Ben’s head and make sure he has everything he needs. Ben lost one parent, but he’s not going to lose another. I refuse to let Dad or those men do anything to take me away from him.”

Cas looked at Dean. “When you move into the new house, you should install a security system.”

Dean nodded, “Yeah, that’s a good idea. Dad’s not smart enough to be able to figure out how to disable it.”

Sam frowned. “When this semester is over, I was thinking about moving in with you if that’s okay.”

Dean nodded, “Yeah. We’ll have plenty of room.”

Dean stood from the table and started clearing away the plates. “I’ll get started on the dishes. Sam, how about you get the leftovers into containers and put them into the fridge.”

Sam nodded and stood to start helping Dean. Cas stood as well, grabbing the empty soda cans and beer bottles. He threw them away and then started to help Dean with the dishes. Dean washed while Cas rinsed. They had themselves a good system. Sam watched them from the doorway, a small smile on his face. It was only dampened by the worry that something might happen to Dean and this might be one of the last times he saw his brother just doing what he did best: taking care of his family.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay! So...I have the winner(s) of the contest!! I'll refresh your memory for a moment. The first place winner(s) will help me write a chapter of the story. The second place winner(s) will get a good character named after them. The third place winner(s) will get a bad/neutral character named after them. SO! On to the results....Drum roll please. *drum faintly rolls in the background followed by a clash from a cymbal*
> 
> The 3rd place winner(s):....GuiltyBystanders (Congrats! ^.^)
> 
> The 2nd place winner(s): ..............Huntress79 (Yay! Congratulations!)
> 
> Now...for the moment you have all been waiting for....the announcement of the first place winner(s):...........
> 
> ..........  
> ..........  
> ..........  
> ..........
> 
> cmc557 AND darkbloddynightmare38!!!
> 
> Congratulations to all of the winners! I want to thank all of you for participating in the contest!! I hope it was as fun for you as it was for me. I will need GuiltyBystanders and Huntress79 to give me a name they would like used to represent them in a chapter. I also would like to discuss with cmc557 and darkbloddynightmare38 how they will contribute to helping me with a chapter. I assume you are wondering how two people will help me. I thought about it and came up with the idea for one of them to help me with one chapter and the other to help me with another. It was the best option for it. 
> 
> I put the announcement at the end of the chapter so as to build anticipation as well as so you can enjoy the chapter with minimal distractions on my part, haha. So, I hope you enjoyed the chapter as well as the contest. 
> 
> Tell me what you thought of the chapter! I look forward to hearing from the winners! ^.^ Thanks again for the participation!!


	11. Bad News

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Cas receives a bit of bad news one night and goes to Dean for support. What Dean decides to do surprises Cas and confirms just how much he means to Dean.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm so sorry for the late update! I got a case of writer's block...
> 
> So! One of the winners of the contest helped me with this chapter. The last scene of this chapter was written by darkbloddynightmare38!! There will be another scene from her in the next chapter as well. I'm still waiting on the other winner to get ahold of me, but let's hope they do!! ^.^
> 
> This chapter was supposed to be a lot longer, but I decided to cut it up into chunks. I wanted to get something up since it's been almost 2 months? Yeah, I think that's about right. So, enjoy!! ^.^

**Chapter 11**

Cas woke to find himself covered with a blanket on Dean’s couch. He looked around to find the room dark and everyone gone to bed. He must have fallen asleep sometime during the movie and Dean had put a blanket over him.

Cas lifted his head from the pillow that had been placed underneath his head and searched for whatever had woken him from his dream. That’s when he heard his phone going off on the coffee table. He reached out and picked it up seeing it was his mother calling him.

He tilted his head the best he could laying down. Why was his mother calling him at two in the morning? He accepted the call and brought it to his ear. “Hello?”

“Castiel…I’m sorry for waking you. I know it must be very early there.”

Cas sat up, rubbing the sleep from his eyes. “It is okay. Is something wrong?”

There was a slight pause. “Actually, there is…Castiel, it’s your father.”

 

Dean was pulled from a dream of chasing down monsters with Sam by a hand gently shaking his shoulder. He rolled over and pried his eyes open. “Cas? What’s wrong?”

As his eyes adjusted to the darkness, he could see that Cas’s eyes were red from holding back tears.  “I’m sorry for waking you, Dean. I know it’s early.”

Dean shook his head and sat up, giving Cas his full attention, knowing that whatever was going on was serious. “What’s wrong, Cas?”

Cas was sitting on the bed next to him. He turned his head away as a tear slipped down his cheek, not wanting Dean to see him cry, but needing to be close to him. “I just received a call from my mother. It’s…It’s my father.”

Dean was wide awake now. He put a hand on Cas’s lower back and started rubbing small circles against the thin fabric of his t-shit. “What happened?”

“He passed away. I didn’t even know he was sick. I hadn’t spoken to him in years until a few months ago…” He lifted his hand to wipe away a stray tear. He tried to keep them from falling, but they wouldn’t obey. “I have to go back home for the funeral. I don’t want to, but it’s the right thing to do.”

Dean nodded, pulling Cas closer to him, knowing that he needed to be close to him and that’s why he woke him up in the first place. He wrapped his arms around Cas’s waist and secured him against him. Cas rested his head against his shoulder, not bothering to fight against the contact.

“I’ll go with you if you want me to.”

Cas lifted his head. “You can’t, Dean. You have responsibilities here. I could never ask you to just drop everything for you to meet my insane family and attend the funeral of a man you never met.”

Dean shook his head, “My responsibilities can wait, Cas. Ellen and Bobby are fully capable of taking care of the bar while I’m gone and Ben will be fine with Sam for a few days. If you need me, I’m going to be there.”

Cas looked into Dean’s eyes, seeing the support and care Dean had for him. “What about the house? You’re supposed to sign for it this week.”

Dean smiled softly at him. “Don’t worry about that, Cas. I’ll talk to the realtor and get everything situated. I’ll see if she’ll either let me sign early or a few days late. It’ll be fine.”

Cas thought everything through for a long moment, deciding if he should allow himself to be selfish for a few days and take Dean with him. Finally, he nodded. “I think it might make things a little easier if you were there.”

Dean nodded, “Okay, then I’ll be there. When do we leave?”

Cas rested his head back against Dean’s shoulder. “Tomorrow night we’re flying to Chicago. First thing in the morning, I’ll get us tickets.”

Dean nodded again before pulling on Cas again. “Come on, get comfortable.” He lifted the blanket up and Cas crawled under. Before he could settle down, Dean grabbed him by the waist and pulled him down to lay against him. Cas rested his head on his shoulder and his hand on Dean’s chest. He fit perfectly against Dean’s body.

They were silent for a little while, both trapped in their own thoughts. Dean finally broke the silence, turning his head towards Cas. “Tell me about your family.”

Cas sniffed. “My mother is a polite woman. The kind you might find sipping tea and entertaining guests. She is very kind and understanding. She was one of the only ones at first who could accept me for who I am. I have four older brothers and an older sister who will be there. They all stayed close to home. I’m the only one who ventured away, so they aren’t happy with me for that. It took some time, but they were finally able to accept me.”

“What are their names?”

“Michael is the oldest. He’s the most stern and unforgiving. He’s very protective of his family. Raphael is the second oldest. We’ve never gotten along. He is…a very angry person, not at all pleasant to be around even on a good day. Then there is Balthazar. He has always accepted me for who I am, even before my mother could. I think you will get along with him. He has an…interesting personality. Anna is only a year younger than him. She is the most forgiving of them all, but if you make her mad, she can be quite scary. I suggest you do not get on her bad side. Then there is Samandriel. Do not call him Sam. He hates it. He acts like the little kid in the family, quite immature at times. I have always been asked if I am older than he is based on maturity alone.”

Dean was nodding along, committing all of the details to memory, knowing he would need to know as much about Cas’s family as he could in order to survive the next few days. “I didn’t know we both had a brother named Sam. I mean, I know he hates the name, but…”

Cas nodded into Dean’s shoulder, a small smile slipping through. “Yes, I had meant to mention it, but the time had never come up. I only discuss my family with Gabriel. Which…he will probably want to come back as well. He has always been close to my family.”

Dean nodded again, thinking through what that meant for the bar. “Okay…Bobby knows his way around the bar. He can fill in as a bartender, so can Benny. I taught him a few tricks here and there when we were bored. Ash can fill in as bartender if they need someone extra. He used to work for me, but got offered a job, made bank, and has been living off all the money he made from it since. I don’t even pay him to do the books because he doesn’t need the money. Charlie has waitressing down, so she’ll be fine working on her own if Jo needs to jump in too at some point. As for the grill, any of them can fill in for Benny if he’s needed elsewhere. I’ve basically got the entire thing situated.”

Cas smiled softly. “It is a good thing you have so many working for you who know what they are doing and know how to work in other areas as well.”

“Yeah, they all basically know how to do everything, except Charlie, but she’d do fine if she needed to be thrown into something. She’s a quick learner.” He pushed the bar from his mind, going back to their original conversation. “Okay, so those are your siblings. What about any extended family I need to know about?”

Cas thought about it for a couple of minutes. “I do not think you will need to worry about them. My mother was an only child so there are no living relatives on her side. As for my father…He had a brother, but we have not heard from him in years. I do not know if he’ll be there or not. I believe you mainly have to worry about my siblings, but I will do my best to reign them in wherever necessary as will Gabriel.”

Dean shook his head. “Don’t worry about me, Cas. You worry about you while we’re there, okay? I can take care of myself against your siblings. Do you…Do you think they’ll have a problem with me being there? I mean, since I’m not part of the family?”

Cas sighed, thinking it through. “I believe Samandriel, Anna, and Balthazar will not have a problem with it. Anna and Balthazar have been asking to meet you for months ever since they found out that I have a friend other than Gabriel. They know about Sam and the others as well, but for some reason they wanted to meet you in particular. I fear Gabriel may have said something to them, making them curious.”

Dean snorted. “Leave it to Gabe. What about Michael and Raphael?”

“They will most likely not be happy that you are there, but they will have to endure it if they do not want to make matters worse.”

They were silent for a long moment before Dean spoke again quietly. “Have you told any of them? About us?”

Cas paused a moment. “I told Balthazar, but that is it. I’m sure he has told Anna and Samandriel though. I know he wouldn’t tell Michael or Raphael, but I do not care if they know.”

Dean nodded, “What about your mom?”

“As far as I am aware, she does not know. She knows about you, that you have a brother named Sam, and that you own a bar, but she does not know that we are involved. I do not care if she knows either. She has accepted me and that’s all that matters.”

Dean placed a gentle kiss on his forehead, keeping his voice quiet. “What about your dad? Did he accept you?”

Cas was silent for a long while. Dean could feel his shirt getting wet, but he didn’t care about that. He held Cas tighter against him, giving him as much support as he could.

“He was the last one to find out. When he did…he freaked. He all but kicked me out of the family. We got into a huge argument, the last time I saw him, then I left. I moved around a little before coming here when I was offered the position at Stanford. I hadn’t spoken a word to him after that argument until a few months ago when he reached out to me. He…apologized for reacting the way he did. He said he regretted pushing me away and asked for my forgiveness. I didn’t give it to him at first, but he kept calling. Not to ask forgiveness, but just to talk. It struck me as odd, but I was happy to have him back in my life. I…eventually forgave him, but…”

“You never told him.”

Cas shook his head, letting more tears fall. “I never saw an opportunity to bring it up. We never talked about it. I wish I had. I wish he could have known that I had forgiven him.”

“He did know, Cas, I’m sure of it.”

Cas turned his head slightly, angling it towards Dean’s head, but not completely. “How do you know that, Dean?”

“Because he’s your father, Cas. The two of you continuing to talk, continuing to share with him what was going on in your life…You didn’t shut him out. If you hadn’t forgiven him, you would have shut him out. He knew that. He didn’t need to hear those words to know that you had.”

Cas’s hand tightened into a fist, clutching onto Dean’s shirt. The tears were coming faster, unable to stop them. “I wish I could have seen him one last time. I haven’t seen him in years…”

Dean didn’t know what to say. The only person he’d ever lost was his mom, but he’d only been a kid at the time. He wasn’t exactly an expert on what needed to be said. “At least you got to fix things before he went. Focus on that. You got the opportunity to mend things between you before it was too late.”

Cas nodded into his shoulder. “You’re right. I should focus on that.”

They laid in silence for a while, sucked back into their own thoughts. Dean was thinking about his mom. It’d been a long time since he let himself openly think about her. A thought suddenly came to mind. “Hey, Cas…what’s your mom going to think about you bringing your boyfriend to meet the family at a funeral?”

“You will not be meeting them at a funeral, Dean. You will be meeting them a few days before.”

Dean rolled his eyes and resisted the urge to snort. “You know what I mean, Cas.”

“I do not believe she will have a problem with you being there. And if she did, she would not say it. Like I said earlier, she is a very polite woman. I believe the only ones we need to worry about are Michael and Raphael.”

Dean nodded and didn’t say anything more. He was planning everything he’d need to do before they left. Before long, he felt the even breathing signaling that Cas had fallen asleep. He smiled softly down at him and kissed the top of his head lightly. He knew that Cas would need his sleep in order to deal with everything ahead of him.

**SPN**

Ben poured himself a bowl of cereal and looked up as Dean walked into the kitchen. “Morning.”

Dean looked up as he reached the fridge and smiled at him. “Good morning. Hey, has Sammy gotten up yet?”

“Yeah, he just got out of the shower a few minutes ago.”

Dean nodded, pulling out the carton of orange juice and pouring himself a glass. “Okay, good.”

He went about pulling out pans, eggs, bacon, the works for a big breakfast. “You want that cereal or do you want an actual breakfast?”

Ben chuckled. “I can eat both.”

Dean snorted and rolled his eyes. “We’re so alike it’s almost scary.”

A few minutes later, Cas walked into the kitchen and sat down at the table, laptop in hand. Dean glanced towards him and raised an eyebrow. “That Sam’s laptop?”

Cas nodded, typing on the keyboard. “Yes, I asked him if I could borrow it for a few minutes. I’ll have them ordered shortly.”

Dean nodded, turning back to the eggs he was cooking. Ben looked up at Dean. “What’s he ordering?”

Dean looked up at him, keeping his eyes level with Ben’s. “Cas and I are going out of town for a few days. If it’s alright with you and Sam, you’ll be staying with him while I’m gone. He’ll get you wherever you need to go.”

Ben nodded, looking towards Cas and then back at Dean. “Okay. Everything okay?”

Dean glanced in Cas’s direction and met his gaze. Cas nodded subtlety and Dean looked back at Ben. “Cas’s dad passed away last night. We’re going to the funeral.”

Ben’s eyes widened and his head whipped around to look at Cas. “Sorry, Cas. I…know how it feels.”

Cas’s eyes slid up to meet Ben’s and they shared a quiet moment. Dean looked away, giving them what privacy he could give while he continued to make their breakfast. Cas had been hoping for something more to connect him with Ben, but this hadn’t made the list.

Dean had finished making their breakfast and was serving it up when Sam finally strolled into the kitchen. Cas shut the laptop and set it aside, looking up at Dean. “They are booked. The flight leaves at six tonight if that is okay with you.”

Dean nodded, setting the plate of bacon down in the middle of the table. Sam pulled a glass from the cabinet down and froze, turning to look at the two of them. “Flight? Are you two going somewhere?”

Dean turned to Sam and nodded. “Yeah, Sammy, can I talk to you for a minute?”

Sam nodded and followed Dean out of the room. They walked down the hall and into Dean’s room, the door shut behind them. Sam sat down on the bed and looked up at Dean with a raised eyebrow. “What’s going on, Dean?”

Dean rubbed a hand down his face and frowned. “Cas got a call last night from his mom. His dad passed away. He’s going back to Chicago for a few days for the funeral and I’m going with him.”

Sam’s eyes widened, his lips parting slightly. “Oh my- Is he okay? He didn’t seem upset?”

Dean nodded, sitting down on the bed next to him. “He was pretty upset when he woke me up last night. He’s hiding it, not letting himself think about it while he’s around people. He tried to hide it last night, but it didn’t work.”

Sam nodded, thinking the bit of information over in his mind. “So, what about Ben? Do you want me to stay here with him?”

“Yeah, I was going to ask you if you could. You’ll have the impala so you can get him to school and get yourself to school, wherever you need to go. Gabe will be going back too. I guess he’s pretty close with the family too.”

A thought flitted through Sam’s mind. He turned to Dean, both eyebrows raised. “So, if Gabe’s going, why are you going too?”

A slight blush crept onto Dean’s cheeks and he tried to push it back down. “I, uh, well…” He rubbed a hand along the back of his neck, fidgeting. “I guess I might as well just say it. Cas and I are together.”

Dean’s eyes flicked up to meet Sam’s, to gauge his reaction. What he saw surprised him. There was a wide grin plastered to Sam’s face. “It’s about damn time! How long have you guys been together?”

“Uh, since yesterday.”

Sam’s eyes were practically glowing with excitement.  “I’m happy for you, Dean. I really am. It’s about damn time you did something for yourself to make you happy. You’re always focused on everyone else and making sure everyone else is happy, never stopping to think about yourself. Cas is good for you. And you’re good for him. It was obvious the first time you met that you liked each other.”

Dean rolled his eyes, the blush still staining his cheeks. “Yeah. Don’t say anything to anyone. The only one who knows is Ben. We want to tell everyone next weekend when we move into the new house.”

Sam nodded, “Yeah, don’t worry about it. My lips are sealed. But, I do have to warn you, if you chicken out and don’t tell them next weekend, I will. I can’t keep it a secret for long otherwise I may burst.”

Dean chuckled, getting to his feet. “You got it, Moose. Come on, breakfast is getting cold. Let’s grab a plate before Cas and Ben eat it all.”

 

 

Dean put away all the dishes before turning back to Cas. “Okay, I just have to run to the bar and get everything situated there and then make a trip to the realtor’s office to talk to her about the house. Then I’ll come home and pack. Have you told Gabe yet?”

Cas looked up from his phone and shook his head. “No, I haven’t gotten a chance to yet. You’ll be seeing him at the bar, correct?”

Dean nodded, pulling out his own phone. “Yeah. If you want, I can tell him.”

Cas nodded. “I was about to ask if you would. I need to make a couple of calls when I get home to pack, but other than that I do not have much to do to get ready. Do you need my help with anything?”

Dean shook his head, pulling up Ellen’s number. “Nah, I’ve got everything under control. I just have to call Ellen real quick and rally the troops.”

He hit send and pressed the phone to his ear. It rang three times before it picked up. “Hey, Dean.”

“Hey, Ellen. Are you busy today?”

“No, I was planning on heading up to the bar real soon. Why, what’s up?”

“I need you to rally the troops and have everyone meet up at the bar in about an hour.”

There was a slight pause before she responded. “Okay. Is everything alright, Dean?”

He shifted his weight to his other foot and stuck his hand in his pocket. “Yeah, yeah, everything’s fine, I just everyone there. Call it a bar meeting if you want. I have to finish getting ready here and then I’ll be heading there to open up. See you in an hour?”

“Yeah, Dean. I’ll give everyone a call. See you soon.”

He hung up the phone and slid it into his pocket before pushing away from the counter. He walked over to Cas and slipped his arms around his waist, pulling him against his chest. “Do you need my help for anything?”

Cas shook his head from where he’d rested it against Dean’s shoulder. “I’m just glad you are accompanying me. I do not know if I could maintain my sanity if I went alone.”

Dean chuckled and tightened his hold on him. “I’m glad you’re letting me. I’d worry the entire time you’d be gone if I were staying here.”

Cas pulled his head away and looked up into Dean’s eyes. “I would be perfectly safe, Dean. Why would you worry?”

He shrugged. “That’s just what I do.” He leaned down and pressed a soft kiss to Cas’s lips. They stayed that way for a few minutes before breaking apart when they heard footsteps coming down the hallway.

Dean smiled down at him. “I need to take a shower and finish getting ready. When do you want to meet back up?”

Cas thought for a moment. “How about three? That would give us enough time to get last minute details sorted and get to the airport in time.”

“Three it is. If you need anything before then, don’t even bother hesitating to ask, got it?”

Cas chuckled, reached up, and pressed a quick kiss to his lips before pulling away. “I won’t.”

Dean smiled and stepped away from Cas, heading for his room. “I’ll see you in a little bit. Be careful getting home.”

Cas chuckled again, loving having someone to worry about him again.

**SPN**

Dean finished up the paperwork he’d had left to do and looked up as the last of their group walked into the bar. He’d brought everything out into the main area to work on while he waited for everyone to arrive. He spun around on the stool to face everyone.

“Okay, so…I need your help this week. I’m going to be out of town until Friday night. I need you guys to take care of the bar for me.”

Ellen leaned against the bar, smiling softly at him. “Of course we’ll take care of the bar. Don’t worry about a thing.”

Jo narrowed her eyes at him, stepping closer. “Why are you going out of town? You’re not going to bail John out again, are you?”

Dean sighed, rubbing the back of his neck. “No, I’m not. I’ll never do that again, I guarantee you. I, uh…Cas and I are going to Chicago for a few days.”

It was Gabe’s turn to narrow his eyes. “Why are you and Cassie going back there? And why didn’t he tell me? What’s going on, Dean-o?”

Dean looked up and met his eyes. “Let’s walk in the back, Gabe. We need to talk.”

The tension rose incredibly at his words, staying behind even as he and Gabe walked back into his office.

Dean sighed and leaned against the desk. “Cas got a phone call from his mother last night.”

Gabe shifted his weight to his other foot, a knot of dread tightening in his stomach. “Why?”

Dean’s eyes lifted, leveling with Gabe’s to watch his reaction to convey just how serious the call had been. “It’s his father, Gabe. He passed away last night. We’re going back for the funeral.”

Gabe’s eyes widened in shock. He stood there frozen for a minute, letting it sink in. “Why didn’t he tell me?”

“He found out at two this morning and ever since he got up, he’s been busy trying to get everything situated. We’re leaving tonight. I told him I’d tell you when I saw you here.”

Gabe nodded, looking away from Dean. “I have to go. I…”

Dean nodded. “Cas already said you would want to. I planned on letting Ellen handle the schedules and rearrange everything to cover for you for whenever you want to leave. You don’t have to worry about anything.”

Gabe looked up at him with sad eyes, nodding slowly. “Okay. I, uh…okay.”

Dean stood. “If you want, you can leave now. I’ll let them know what’s going on. Go book your flight, pack a bag, drink a bottle of whiskey, whatever you need to do. I’ll handle everything here.”

Gabe nodded again. “Thanks, Dean-o. I’ll let Cas know when I’m leaving and I guess I’ll see you in Chicago.”

Dean smiled softly at him, leading him back to the main area. “Yeah, as long as Michael and Raphael don’t flay me alive by time you get there.”

Gabe chuckled, slapping a hand down on Dean’s shoulder as they walked into the main area. “You’ll be fine, Dean-o. They can be pretty scary if you’re on the receiving end, which you will be, but you’re big and tough. You can handle them. And if you can’t, well, Cas can get pretty scary when he’s pissed.”

Dean chuckled and nodded. “Oh, I know, believe me. Let me know if you need anything, Gabe.”

Gabe smiled at him and shot him a wonky salute. “Aye aye, boss!”

When he left, Dean turned towards the group who were staring at him confused. Charlie grinned awkwardly. “Um, if you don’t mind me asking, Dean, but…what’s going on?”

Dean sighed and took a seat on the stool he’d been occupying earlier. “Cas’s dad passed away last night. I’m going back with him for the funeral. Gabe’s going back too, but I don’t know when yet. You guys will be two people short. Think you can handle it?”

Ellen rested a hand on his shoulder. “Don’t worry about a thing, Dean. We’ll take care of the bar while you’re gone. You just take care of Cas.”

Dean nodded, knowing that was exactly what he would be doing for the next few days. He just hoped he would be enough to make the next few days bearable for both of them.

 

Dean walked into the realtor’s office and approached the desk. “Excuse me; I need to talk to Ms. Evergreen. Is she here?”

The receptionist looked through a book before looking back up at him, smiling. “She doesn’t have an appointment for a couple of hours, so she should be at her desk.”

“Okay, thank you.” He walked away from the desk and went in search of his realtor. He found her sitting behind her desk working on some paperwork. He cleared his throat to get her attention and smiled when she looked up at him.

“Mr. Winchester, I wasn’t expecting to see you until Wednesday. Is there something wrong?”

“Well, actually, there is. Something came up and I have to leave town for a few days. I have a family emergency. I won’t be back until Friday night. I was wondering if we could move up signing the papers or push them back until I get back.”

Ms. Evergreen took in the information, thinking through their options. “I’m sorry to hear that. Let me give the owners a call and see what we can do. When are you leaving?”

“My plane leaves at six tonight.”

She nodded, picking up her phone and dialing the number she needed. “Okay. Let me see what I can do.”

Dean took a seat across from the desk and waited while she talked on the phone. He pulled out his cell phone and pulled up his conversation with Cas, sending off a quick message.

_Hey, Cas. I’m at the realtor’s office now. Everything’s set at the bar. Gabe knows. He went home to book a flight and pack. How are things on your end?_

It wasn’t very long before he got a reply.

_How did Gabe take it? Everything is fine, Dean. I have finished packing already and am running out of things to keep my mind occupied like you suggested._

Dean sighed, running a hand through his hair before replying.

_Head on over to the house. Sam and Ben are there. I won’t be too much longer here, I don’t think. She’s still on the phone with the owners setting up a new time to sign._

_Okay. I will head over there. I will see you soon, Dean._

She set the phone down, cuing Dean to shove his phone in his pocket. “Well, if you have the time, they’re on their way in to sign over the house now. They’ve already finished everything they were planning on doing to the house, so it’s in tip top condition for you.”

Dean nodded, “Yeah, that sounds great. When will they be here?”

“In about ten minutes?”

“Okay. If you don’t mind, I’m going to step outside and call my brother.”

She smiled kindly at her. “Of course, take your time.”

Dean smiled at her and stood. He made his way back through the office and out the door. Outside, he pulled out his phone and dialed Sam’s number. It rang three times before he finally picked up.

“Hey, Dean. What’s up?”

“Hey, Sam. I’m at the realtor’s office now. The owners are on their way in now to sign over the house. Don’t tell Ben or Cas. I want it to be a surprise when I get home, but I don’t know how long I’m going to be here.”

“That’s great, Dean! Of course, I won’t tell them. Wait, why would I tell Cas? He’s not even here.”

“He’s on his way over. He ran out of things to keep his mind occupied from everything, so I told him to head over.”

“Okay. I’ll make us all some lunch after he gets here. If it runs a little late, I’ll just tell them you had to make a run back to the bar or something.”

Dean chuckled, “Thanks, Sammy. Oh, could you switch loads for me? I forgot to before I left.”

“Yeah, no problem.”

Dean looked up and noticed a car had pulled up not too far away and a couple was getting out. He watched out of the corner of his eye as they made their way towards the realtor’s office. “Listen, Sammy, I think that’s them. I gotta go. I’ll be home soon.”

“Okay, I’ll see you soon. Bye, Dean.”

Dean hung up and walked back into the office, sliding his phone back into his pocket. He had just sat back down in the chair he’d occupied earlier when the same couple he’d seen outside walked in and smiled at Ms. Evergreen.

“Hi there.”

They came to their feet and the introductions were started. Dean shook hands with both of them before they all sat back down. For a while, it was a bunch of legal talk. They talked about owner’s insurance-which Dean knew plenty about-and the papers, legally binding issues, sub-clauses, things Dean had to really concentrate to keep up with. Then they talked about the neighborhood, about ‘thugs’. They asked Dean if he had any children and he told them about Ben. He left out the part where he wasn’t technically his son. Turns out there were kids his age on the block he went to school with. Dean hoped it was someone he actually liked versus one of the kids he was having issues with.

After what seemed like hours, they finally came to the point he’d been waiting for. They signed all the papers and then handed Dean the keys. They thanked him, told him they hope he liked the house, and then left the office. Dean turned back to the realtor and smiled kindly at her. “Well, I really should be going too. I have to get packed for my flight. Thanks again.”

She smiled, extending her hand towards him. “It was my pleasure. If you ever need to buy another house, look me up, Dean.”

He chuckled. “I doubt I’ll need to, but I’ll keep that in mind.”

 

He placed his last piece of clothing in his bag followed by his tooth brush, tooth paste, hair gel, body wash, and his phone charger. He made sure he had his ID in his wallet as well as his credit cards and everything else he’d need during the week. He slid his laptop on top of his clothes and zipped the bag shut. He was officially packed.

He picked up the bag and took it out into the living room where Cas was talking to Sam about something. He set the bag down by the wall and sat down next to Cas. He put his arm on the back of the couch behind Cas and checked his phone while the two continued talking. He had a text from Gabe he’s missed somehow.

_Hey there, Dean-o. Just booked the flight. I’ll be flying out tomorrow so I’ll see you then. Be a dear and let Cassie know, would ya? Thanks!_

Dean snorted and rolled his eyes. He quickly typed back a response before shoving the phone back in his pocket. Sam and Cas turned towards him, eyebrows raised.

“What was that about, Dean?”

He shook his head. “Just a text from Gabe. He said he’ll be flying out tomorrow so he’ll see us then.”

Cas nodded and looked down at his watch. It was almost time to go. “Okay. We only have a few minutes before we should probably leave.”

Dean nodded. “Okay, I’m going to go talk to Ben. Let him know we’re leaving.”

He stood and walked back through the house to Ben’s room. He knocked on Ben’s door before opening it slightly. “Mind if I come in?”

“Yeah, come on in, Dean.”

Dean stepped inside the room and left the door open a little. He sat down on the bed and looked over at Ben who was sitting at his desk playing some game on his laptop.

“So…Cas and I will be leaving here in a few minutes. I wanted to make sure you were going to be okay while I’m gone. I’ll have my phone on me so you can call or text whenever. If you do while I’m on the plane, I’ll get them after we land. It doesn’t matter what time it is, if you need something let me know.”

Ben turned around in his chair and smiled at him. “Dean, don’t worry about anything, okay? Everything will be fine here while you’re gone. If we need anything, we’ll call.”

Dean sighed. “I feel bad for leaving you with Sam for almost a week. If it weren’t something for Cas…”

“No, Dean, seriously. Don’t worry about it. I’m fine with staying with Sam. He’s awesome. Cas needs you, so you go take care of him.”

Dean met Ben’s eyes and he smiled. “Yeah. I’m just hoping this week doesn’t completely backfire by me going with him. I don’t want to make things worse by trying to make things better.”

Ben nodded. “Yeah, but you know Cas. Just by having you there with him will help him no matter what else happens. Just…block everything else out and concentrate on him. That’s why you’re going.”

Dean chuckled. “I’m getting advice from a fifteen-year-old about what to do with my boyfriend at his father’s funeral and meeting the family…I never thought I’d use that sentence.”

Ben snorted. “Yeah, well, neither did I. You’ll be fine, Dean. Just be your normal charming self and they’ll like you, I bet.”

Dean nodded, getting to his feet. “Okay. I’ll play it your way for a while, see where it gets me. Honestly, I couldn’t care less what they think of me, but they’re his family so I have to play nice.”

Ben rolled his eyes, standing as well. “Yeah, Dean. Play nice.”

They walked out into the living room and Ben wrapped Dean into a hug. He lowered his voice so that only Dean could hear him. “I’ll miss you, Dean. Just be careful.”

Dean tightened his grip on him. “Don’t worry about me, kid. I’ll call you when we land.”

Ben nodded, taking a step away. He gave Cas a hug while Dean wrapped Sam into one of their bro-hugs. “You take care of him, Sammy. Call me if you need anything and I mean that.”

Sam smiled at his big brother, pulling away. “We’ll be fine, Dean. You’ll be a phone call away if anything happens. The bar will be just fine. The house will be fine. Ben will be fine. I’ll get him to school, he’ll do his homework, he’ll go to practice. Don’t worry about a thing.”

“You know, Sam, it’s when people keep reassuring you that everything will be fine when something goes wrong.”

Sam rolled his eyes. “Relax, Dean. Just go. You have a plane to catch, remember? Take care of Cas.”

Dean smiled softly, glancing over at Cas who was talking to Ben. “I will. You don’t have to worry about that.”

 

Cas sighed as he settled into his seat on the plane while Dean put their carry-ons in the overhead compartment. He wanted to back out as soon as they were driving to the airport, but like he told Dean, he had to pay his respects and it was way too late anyway. As he looked over at Dean, he saw that he was a bit tense and chalked it up to being nervous about finally meeting Cas’s family; at least until the plane started taking off.

“Dean, are you alright?” Cas asked putting his hand on top of Dean’s which had somewhat of a death grip on the armrest between them. “Huh? Oh, yeah I’m fine.” Dean said and smiled unconvincingly. Of course, this would be the time that the plane decided to actually take off, thus causing Dean to grip the armrest harder, and earning a bit of an appraising look from Cas.

“Alright, so I may have a thing for well-” Dean started, gesturing a little when the plane evened out.

“Flying.” Cas deadpanned, “You know if you told me you didn’t like flying, we could’ve found another way. Like a road trip for example.” Cas said squeezing his hand comfortingly.

“Oh yeah? And how long do ya think that would’ve taken us? I mean, we could miss the funeral that way.” Dean said with a determined look in his eye.

Cas was then hit with such a strong wave of gratitude and love that he leaned over and kissed him.

“Whoa. What was that for? Not that I’m complaining or anything.” Dean smiled.

“I’m just really happy you came with me.” Cas replied. “Did you know I’ve flown on a plane a few times before?” Cas asked him.

“Hmm.” Dean replied while they went through some turbulence.

“Yup. And every plane I’ve been on has never crashed before, so if it makes you feel any better, I highly doubt that this plane is going to crash.” Cas said smiling a little at the look that Dean shot him. “Well, I mean it’s more likely to get into a car crash than a plane crash, so if we do get into one, you can tell me I told you so as many times as you want.” He looked away blushing a little “I guess what I’m trying to say is to just think of me as your good luck charm. As long as we’re together, nothing bad will happen to you.” Cas said meeting Dean’s eyes. Dean just smiled and kissed him, and he was a tad more relaxed, which was more than Cas could’ve hoped for.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, what did you think of the chapter? Let's thank darkbloddynightmare38 for helping out with it!! Thanks again!! ^.^ I can't wait to read your next scene either, by the way. Until next time!


	12. Dean, Meet the Family!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Cas and Dean go back for the funeral. Dean gets to meet the family.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am so very sorry for the lack of update. I was having problems with my laptop, then I went on vacation, then I moved, college and camp, and then college started! Woo! lol But here is the chapter! Enjoy!

**Chapter 12**

As soon as they landed, Dean breathed a sigh of relief. He was back on solid ground. He pulled his phone from his pocket and turned it on, seeing he had a missed text from Ben. He pulled it open.

_Hey, Dean. I know you’re on the plane, so I don’t expect a response, but I just wanted to say good luck to both of you. Hope everything goes well. Tell Cas if he needs anything too, all he has to do is call. He’s family too._

Dean smiled at the text and looked up at Cas who was watching him quizzically. “What is it, Dean?”

“Ben sent me a text while we were in the air. Part of it’s to you. Here, read it.” He handed Cas the phone and watched his facial expressions as he read through the text. He saw a small smile spread over his lips at the end of the message before Cas’s eyes met his own.

“That was very thoughtful of him. Tell him I appreciate it.”

Dean nodded, tucking the piece of information into his mind to repeat when he called Ben, before slipping the phone back into his pocket. Dean rested his hand on Cas’s and looked up at him. “You ready for this?”

Cas took a deep breath, looking out the small window next to him. “As ready as I’ll ever be, I suppose.”

Dean squeezed his hand in support before standing up and pulling their carry-ons down from the overhead compartment. They exited the plane with everyone else and walked into the waiting area to try to find their ride. Dean didn’t know who he was looking for, so he excused himself to go call Ben and let him know they had landed. Cas nodded and watched him walk a short distance away, trying to get away from the loud noises so he could be heard better over the phone.

Cas tore his gaze away from his handsome boyfriend and searched the crowd for either his sister or one of his brothers. He was hoping it was Anna or Balthazar, but he would go with what he was given.

Suddenly he heard a squeal that sounded oddly familiar. He looked in the direction it had come from and sure enough, Anna and Balthazar were making their way towards him. He smiled; glad they were there to greet him.

“Castiel!! It’s been forever! How are you? Where’s Dean? He came, right? I want to meet him!”

Cas chuckled as he was enveloped in a hug with his sister. “I’m fine, Anna. Yes, he came with me. He’s calling his brother and son to let them know we made it okay and then he’ll join us.”

Balthazar halted in opening his arms to give Cas a hug. “Wait a minute. Did you say son? You didn’t say he had a son.”

“I did not see that it was of import. His name is Ben and he is fifteen. It’s a complicated situation and I advise you not ask him about it. It’s a long story.”

He lifted an eyebrow, but wrapped his arms around his little brother anyway. They hugged and then stepped away from each other. Cas was about to say something when he felt someone step up beside him. He looked up and was met by emerald green eyes.

“Did they answer?”

Dean nodded, “Yeah, everything’s good back home so far.”

Cas nodded and turned back towards his siblings. “Dean, these are my siblings: Anna and Balthazar. Guys, this is Dean Winchester.”

Dean smiled kindly at them and extended his hand towards them. Instead, Anna practically jumped him. She started squealing and jumped into his arms. “Eek! It’s so nice to finally meet you! We’ve heard a lot about you, believe me! By the way, it’s about damn time the two of you got together! I think it’s so sweet of you to come with him!”

Dean’s eyebrows rose halfway up his forehead and he looked over Anna’s head at Cas who had his head resting in one of his hands, shaking his head. Balthazar was chuckling, watching the whole scene. Finally, he stepped forward and pried Anna off of Dean. “Leave the poor man alone, Anna. You’ve probably just scared him away for good and we’ll never see Baby Brother again.”

Dean chuckled and shook his head. “No worries. It’s nice to meet both of you.”

Anna beamed at him while Balthazar shook his hand. “It’s our pleasure. We haven’t seen Cassie since he left a few years ago. It’s good to see him again and seeing him happy is even better.”

Cas’s head lifted and he rested his gaze on Balthazar. “You know, you could have come to visit.”

Balthazar snorted. “So could you, you know. But this is a conversation for later. Right now, we should get your bags and then go grab a bite to eat if you’re hungry before heading back to the house. Are you two staying at the house or staying in a hotel?”

Dean hadn’t even thought of that. He looked at Cas who seemed to have an answer ready. “We’ll be staying in a hotel. I doubt that Michael and Raphael would be too pleased with the two of us staying together in the house.”

Balthazar chuckled. “I don’t blame you one bit. Oh, Cassie…We didn’t tell them about the two of you. I’m not sure how they’ll react to you two walking in together.”

Cas sighed, nodding. “I fear they will not be very happy with it. They will most likely make a scene. I’d prefer to put it off for as long as possible.”

Balthazar nodding, heading towards the luggage area. “Okay! Lunch, hotel, then home it is.”

**SPN**

Cas took a deep breath. They had managed to waste two hours between leaving the airport and leaving the hotel after dropping their bags off in their room. Dean had booked it while Cas was talking to his siblings about something and got them a room with one queen-sized bed to share. He hadn’t minded in the slightest. He knew that given the nature of why they were back, he would need Dean’s support every chance he’d get.

Dean squeezed his hand, looking at him worriedly. “You okay, Cas?”

Cas nodded, staring at the house. Balthazar and Anna had already walked inside, but they had stayed behind. “Yes, Dean. I am just not looking forward to what is about to happen.”

Dean nodded, looking back up at the house. “Want me to pretend to be your friend instead of your boyfriend? I won’t be hurt or anything, I promise. If it’ll make things easier on you, I’m all for it.”

Cas shook his head, turning to look at Dean. “That would make things harder because I would have to hide my feelings for you when I would need you the most. I will deal with them and get it out of the way. I’m just not looking forward to the shouting that is guaranteed to happen.”

Before he could say anything, a woman appeared in the doorway of the house. A smile pulled at her lips as she saw who was standing in the driveway. “Castiel.”

Cas smiled and moved forward quickly, pulling away from Dean, and going to embrace his mother. “Hello, mother.”

They stayed in each other’s arms for a long moment, neither wanting to end their reunion. When they finally broke away, Cas moved to the side and motioned towards Dean. “Dean, this is my mother, Linette Novak. Mom, this is Dean Winchester, my boyfriend.”

Linette’s smile widened a fraction and she extended a hand towards him. “It’s very nice to meet you, Dean. Anna has told me a lot about you. It seemed whenever she would get off the phone with Castiel, I would get a call and she would fill me in on all the details she learned about you. I feel as if I already know you.”

Dean chuckled and blushed slightly. “I hope they were all good things.”

Her smile widened and she tipped her head forward an inch. “I assure you they were. It seems Castiel doesn’t have anything bad to say about you.”

It was Cas’s turn to blush as he looked away from both of them. “Do Michael and Raphael know?”

His mother’s smile faltered. “No, they don’t. I didn’t feel it was our place to tell them. I figured that if you wanted them to know, you would tell them yourself.”

Cas nodded, “It will probably be better that way, though they will not take it well.”

She shook her head, moving back towards the house. “I agree, but it must be done. They are still your family, Castiel, and they must accept it if they wish to remain here.”

Cas had started to follow his mother into the house, but stopped at her words. “What do you mean?”

She turned towards him, one hand on the doorknob. “You are just as a part of this family as they are, Castiel. If they want to stay here until the end of the funeral, then they will behave like adults and accept you. We’re all family, Castiel, and it’s about time everyone starts acting like it. I’ve missed out on too much of your life because of this and I’m not about to miss any more of it. They’ll just have to suck it up and deal with it.”

Linette turned and walked inside without another word. Dean let out a low whistle. “I love your mom, Cas. She’s pretty badass.”

Cas nodded, his mouth hanging open slightly in shock. He’d never seen his mother that way before.

They walked inside, Dean letting Cas take the lead. They found the family waiting for them in the living room. They were all sitting around talking, not paying much attention to them until Cas cleared his throat. There were three people that Dean hadn’t met yet and he assumed they were his brothers. He could pick out Michael and Raphael by looking at their posture. They had a vibe of snobbiness radiating off them in waves.

“Castiel! It’s so good to see you again. It’s been…a long time.” A man stood and embraced Cas quickly before stepping back away from him.

“It is good to see you too, Raphael.”

Dean immediately knew who the next person to stand up was. Michael. He embraced Cas as well and smiled politely at him. “It is good to see you, Castiel. You should have come around before now.”

Dean could see Cas visibly tense at his words, holding himself back. “You could have picked up the phone or came to California. It is a two-way street, brother.”

The air suddenly thickened with tension. Linette stepped in between the two brothers and forced a smile onto her face. “Now you two will get a long or you both can leave. I will not have fighting while everyone is here. Am I understood?”

She received murmurs and nods from everyone in the room. “Good. Now, Castiel, introduce your guest to those who haven’t met him yet.”

All eyes fell on Dean. He gulped and forced a smile of his own onto his face. Cas turned towards him with an apology in his eyes. “Dean, these are my brothers: Michael, Raphael, and Samandriel. This is Dean Winchester. My boyfriend.”

Michael and Raphael’s eyes widened to the size of saucers. Raphael sputtered, looking between the two men bewilderedly. Michael composed himself and glared at Cas. “You brought your _boyfriend_ to our father’s funeral?! You really thought that was a wise decision, Castiel? After he disowned you and kicked you out of the family from finding out about your…rebellion.”

Cas held his ground. “It’s not a rebellion. It’s who I am. Dad came to accept who I am before he died. He reached out to me a few months ago. He asked for my forgiveness, said that he regretted pushing me out of the family. I told him about Dean, about what Dean means to me. He said he wanted to meet him someday. I find it rather appropriate that he be here.”

Balthazar stood from where he’d sat down across the room. “What does it really matter to you, Mike? It’s not like you’re the one in the relationship with Dean. Can’t you see that our little brother is actually happy? Happy enough to bring Dean all the way across the country with him to meet the family? You should try focusing on that.”

Linette nodded. “I agree with Balthazar. We finally have Castiel back in our lives, in the family. I have missed out on _years_ of his life because of your father. I will not miss out on any more because of you or your brothers. Castiel _and_ Dean are more than welcome in this house and in this family. I find it rather embarrassing that you’re acting the way you are.”

Michael blanched at his mother. “You can’t be serious? You’re allowing this to happen in your own home? You’re allowing your son to sin in such a perverted way right in front of you?”

She took a step towards him. “What my son decides to do with his life is up to him. I do not consider it a sin to love someone. I may have put up with your father’s beliefs and decisions, but this is my house now. I will not stand for any bigotry. I don’t care if you don’t approve of your brother’s choices, but keep it to yourself. I don’t want to hear any more about this, am I clear?”

Michael fumed, but kept his mouth shut. After a long moment, he finally nodded. He locked eyes with Cas. “I will never approve of this, but I will say no more about it.”

He turned and left the room, Raphael close behind him, sending daggers towards Dean as he went. Balthazar loudly exhaled and plopped back down into the chair he’d been occupying. “Well, now that that’s out of the way…is supper done yet?”

**SPN**

After a tense, but quiet family dinner, Cas decided it was best if they head back to the hotel. Linette had been curious about Dean’s life, asking him all sorts of questions, trying to get to know him better. It had made Dean feel better having someone seem so lighthearted. Anna and Balthazar had joined into the conversion, throwing in various questions or comments. They had all seemed genuinely curious about his life. Samandriel had commented on Dean having a brother named Sam, wondering if they would ever meet him someday. Cas had taken the opportunity to invite them to California sometime.

Linette had loved the idea, as had Balthazar, Anna, and Samandriel. Michael and Raphael had stayed eerily silent throughout the entirety of dinner, not offering up any sort of conversation.

When Dean and Cas finally made it back to the hotel after making several promises of going back to the house the next day, Dean flopped onto the bed, letting out a long sigh. “That was more tiring than I thought it’d be.”

Cas chuckled and sat down beside him on the bed, untying his shoes. “I agree, though I hadn’t expected my mother to be as on our side as she was.”

Dean rolled over onto his back, looking up at Cas. “Your mom is awesome, dude. Seriously. She was pretty badass today!”

Cas nodded, thinking over the events of the day. “She was. I’ve never seen her like that before. It was refreshing.”

Dean chuckled and pulled his phone out as it started ringing. “It’s Ben.”

Cas got up to change his clothes for bed, giving Dean a little privacy. Dean answered the call and held the phone to his ear. “Hey, Ben. What’s up?”

“Hey. Not a whole lot. Sam and I just had supper so I thought I’d call and see how it was going with Cas’s family.”

“Good. Well…as good as can be expected. We just got back to the hotel actually. His mom went all badass. It was pretty awesome.”

He heard chuckling on the other line. “That’s good! How’s Cas doing?”

Dean looked over towards the closed bathroom door. “Good. Better than I thought. Tired, but that’s understandable. Is Sam right there?”

“Yeah, here he is.”

Dean waited a moment before Sam’s voice came over the line. “Hey, Dean. What’s up?”

“Not much. Just got back to the hotel from Cas’s Mom’s house. How are things going back home so far?”

“Everything’s fine here, Dean. I told you that you don’t have to worry about anything while you’re gone. We’ve got everything under control.

“I know. I can’t help it. You know I worry.”

Sam chuckled, “Yeah, I know. What do you guys have planned for tomorrow?”

Dean stifled a yawn. “Uh, I think we’re going somewhere with Balthazar and Anna. I can’t really remember. He talks fast.”

Sam snorted. “Okay, I’ll let you go. You have a long day tomorrow, I assume. Have a good night, Dean. Here’s Ben.”

“Thanks, Sammy. Night!”

Cas walked out of the bathroom and sat down on the bed. He started setting an alarm, facing away from him.

“Hey, Dean. Sam said I should let you go. Call me tomorrow?”

“Of course I will. I’ll call you in the morning. Have a good night, Ben. Finish your homework. I’ll talk to you tomorrow.”

“Good night, Dean. Say hi to Cas for me. Love you.”

Before Dean could respond, the call ended. Dean smiled and set his phone down on the side table where Cas plugged it in. “Everything okay back home?”

Dean nodded. “Ben says hi. And he told me he loves me before he hung up.”

Cas turned towards him and smiled. “Of course he does. You are his father, Dean.”

Dean blushed faintly. “Yeah. Well, hey, let’s get some sleep. We have a long day tomorrow.”

Cas nodded and got under the covers followed by Dean once he had changed. Dean pulled him into his arms and kissed the top of his head. “Good night, Cas. Tomorrow will be better.”

Cas smiled against Dean’s shoulder, his eyes closing for the last time. “Good night, Dean.”


	13. Judgments

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This is the 2nd day of being with Cas' family. The judgments are coming out.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: I do not own SPN or any of its characters.
> 
> A/N: I am beyond incredibly sorry for how long it has taken me to post this chapter. I just was not inspired or motivated in the slightest bit to finish it. For the longest time, all I had was a couple of sentences. Then I somehow got to about 1400 words. This morning I had time to kill so I sat down and started writing. In an hour I made it up to over 3k before I had to get ready. When I got home, I sat back down and got to just over 5k in an hour. I was pretty dedicated to getting this done today and getting it up and posted. I feel horrible for not updating since August...that is way too long to have to wait, but I guess at least I didn't leave with a horrible cliff hanger? Any way you can forgive me? If it helps, my absolute goal for this year to do a TON more writing than I did last year, including finally sitting down and doing some original stuff. So, my goal is to try to keep up with these stories.
> 
> I hope you will like this chapter.

**Chapter 13**

Dean woke up the next morning feeling refreshed. He rolled over onto his side and silently watched as Cas slept peacefully. He loved watching him sleep. It was like watching an angel.

Dean smiled softly as he moved his hand to run his fingers gently through Cas’ soft hair. Cas smiled softly at the touch and rolled until he was against Dean’s body. Dean chuckled lightly, pulling Cas closer to him.

“Good morning, Cas.”

Cas mumbled into Dean’s shoulder. “G’morning, Dean.”

“How did you sleep?”

Cas snuggled deeper into Dean’s chest. “Well. Yourself?”

Dean nodded, “Like a baby. I’ve come to notice that I sleep better with you beside me.”

Cas looked up at him and smiled softly. “Yeah?”

Dean nodded again. “I used to have nightmares a lot, but I haven’t had any while you’re lying next to me.”

Cas’s phone started to ring, so he rolled over and checked it. “It’s Gabe. I should get this.”

“Go ahead. I’m going to take a quick shower.”

Cas nodded, sitting up and answering his phone. “Hello Gabriel.”

Dean gathered the necessary items for his shower and then stepped into the bathroom. He figured he’d give Cas a little privacy while he talked on the phone.

He set his items on the edge of the tub and reached in and started the water to let it warm up. He took his time getting undressed. He wasn’t in any hurry.

Stepping into the shower, Dean let the water run down him and erase all the stress and worry. He let it take away the lingering sleepiness he was feeling, allowing it to prepare him for the day.

After a few minutes of relishing in the hot water, he grabbed the body wash and started lathering up his body. He made quick work of running the body wash over his body, over all the muscles and plains he’d acquired from building and running his own bar. After rinsing off, he picked up the bottle of shampoo and started on his hair, scrubbing his scalp thoroughly. Afterwards, he switched to the conditioner and followed the same pattern. Once he was done cleaning himself, he leaning against the wall, letting the water run down his face and further down his body.

It was going to be a long day, he knew that to be true. He let the water erase his thoughts and allow him to completely relax.

After a few more moments, he realized he should get out and allow Cas to shower as well. He turned the water off, grabbed a towel and wrapped it around his waist as he stepped out of the shower. He grabbed another towel and rubbed his hair down before opening the bathroom door and stepping out into the room.

He walked over to his bag with only a towel wrapped around his waist and water running down his body, disappearing into his towel. As he rifled through his bag for clothes, he heard an intake of breath. He turned around to see Cas staring openly at his mostly naked body.

Dean smirked, tilting his head to the side. “Like what you see, Cas?”

Cas’s eyes snapped up to meet Dean’s and he blushed. “Of course, I just wasn’t expecting to turn around and…”

“See me half naked, dripping wet?”

Cas nodded robotically. “Y-yes.”

Dean chuckled and turned back to his bag, grabbing his clothes. “You might want to jump in the shower while we still have the time. I’m sure that was Gabe saying we need to get a move on?”

Cas nodded, finding his voice. “Yes. He just landed and Balthazar is on his way to pick him up. They’ll be here next to pick us up.”

“Then you might want to take a quick shower. Sounds like we don’t have much time.”

Cas nodded again, forcing his legs to work. He moved across the room until he stood behind Dean and turned him around. He placed his hands on Dean’s chest and then planted his lips onto Dean’s.

Dean’s hands immediately wrapped around Cas’s waist, pulling him flush against him. They deepened the kiss, losing themselves in each other’s bodies. It was a few moments later when Dean pulled away reluctantly. “Shower. You need to take a shower.”

“Are you saying that I stink, Dean?”

“No, I’m saying that if we continue that, there will be no turning back. And as much as I would like to go down that road, we don’t exactly have the time. When we go there for the first time, I’d like to take my time with you, explore every inch of your body. I don’t want to be in a rush the first time.”

Cas looked deep into Dean’s eyes. “Neither do I. I wish we had time.”

Dean smiled. “So do I. Go take a shower, Cas. I’ll be here when you get out.”

Cas nodded and grabbed his clothes, disappearing into the bathroom.

**SPN**

Dean wrapped his fingers around the cold beer he’d been offered. They’d just had lunch at Cas’s mom’s house and were now sitting on the back deck talking.

Dean and Cas shared a look between them, smiling. They hadn’t been alone since that morning in their hotel room before Balthazar and Gabe picked them up. Dean couldn’t wait for them to get back to their hotel room and maybe do some exploring.

Dean’s phone started to ring in his pocket, so he took it out and looked at the caller id. He looked up at Cas as he stood up. “It’s Ben. I’ll be right back.”

Cas nodded and watched him walk away.

Dean answered the call. “Hey, Ben, what’s up?”

“Hey, Dean. Um…We may have a slight situation on our hands.”

Dean tensed, not liking the way he said that. “Ben…what’s going on?”

Michael was watching Dean carefully, noting the tension in his body as he talked to whoever was on the phone.

“Castiel, who is Dean talking to?”

Gabe and Cas looked up and over at Dean from their conversation. They both saw the tension eating away at his muscles. “His son, Ben. Excuse me.”

Cas vaguely heard an intake of breath before Michael said, “His _son?!_ ”

He appeared next to Dean and put his hand on his arm, looking up into his face.

“Ben, just slow down and tell me what happened. I can’t understand you when you talk that fast.”

“Sam was opening up the bar when someone came out of nowhere and snuck up on him. They got the jump on him, but he was able to defend himself. He only got a few bruises and a couple of cuts, but Dean…why would someone want to sneak up on Sam? I don’t understand…”

Dean took a shaky breath. “Ben, it’s going to be okay. Sam knows how to defend himself. Did he call the police? Were you there when it happened?”

“Yeah, I was still in the car when it happened. The police are talking to him now. I just needed to call you.”

“I’m glad you did, Ben. You did the right thing. And I’m glad you stayed in the car during that. He can take care of himself. If something like that happens again, I want you to stay well away from it and call the cops, okay?”

“Yeah, Dean, I knew you’d say that. That’s exactly what I did.”

“Good.” Dean looked over at Cas with worry in his eyes. He glanced around behind him until he made eye contact with Gabe, silently asking for him to come over there.

“Ben, let me talk to Sam for a minute, okay?”

“Yeah, hang on. I think he’s wrapping up with the cops.”

Dean turned his attention to Cas and Gabe. “Sam was attacked this morning while opening up the shop. Ben saw the whole thing. He says Sam’s fine. He’s talking to the cops now. I’m waiting for Sam to take the phone so I can talk to him.”

Their eyes widened. Gabe almost went into panic mode. “Who the hell attacked him!? Who wou-?”

Cas cut him off. “Ben’s okay though, right? He didn’t get in the middle of it or anything?”

“Ben’s fine. He stayed in the car while it happened and called the cops.”

Cas seemed to relax the slightest bit at knowing Ben was okay. The sight of it made Dean’s heart swell that Cas cared so much for his son.

“Dean, hey, I’m alright. My fighting skills are a little rusty, but not too bad.”

Dean’s eyes squeezed shut for a brief moment as the tension nearly left his body. “Sam. Who was it? Did they say anything?”

“He seemed really familiar for some reason, but I just couldn’t put a finger on why I felt like I knew him. All he said was that I needed to learn my place and then when he was running off, he yelled over his shoulder that I shouldn’t get too comfortable. What does that even mean?”

A chill ran down Dean’s spine as the words sank in. He didn’t like them one bit. “Sam, I want you to be extra careful. You need to make sure that you keep all the doors and windows locked at all times. You have to be on your game while I’m gone, okay? Keep your eye on Ben, make sure nothing happens to him. If you need to, take him and go hang out at the bar for a while. It’ll be safe there with Benny. Tell him and the others exactly what you’ve told me, okay? I want them to keep their eyes open too.”

Cas and Gabe shared a look. “Dean, what is he saying?”

“Dean, what’s going on? Do you know what he was talking about?”

Dean had an idea, but he wasn’t sure if he was right. He wanted desperately to go back home and keep his family safe, but he knew he needed to stay and be there for Cas. He couldn’t be in two places at once. “I’m sure it’s just a coincidence. I’m going to call Benny and have a talk with him. I might have him stay at the house with you guys for a few days just to be on the safe side.”

He heard a sigh coming from the other end of the line. “Dean, that’s not necessary. I took care of it just fine. I’m perfectly capable of taking care of myself.”

“I know you are, Sam, but what if next time there are more than one? What could happen to Ben if you’re preoccupied with one of them while the other is going after him? He’s just a kid. He’s my responsibility and even though I’m not there, it’s still my duty to protect him and that’s what I’m going to do.”

Gabe pulled out his phone and texted Sam, knowing that Ben had used his own phone to call Dean.

_Hey, Sam. I know you’re currently on the phone with big brother. Standing right next to him. WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON!? ARE YOU OKAY?! Text back, Samsquatch. I need to know._

Cas read the message over his shoulder and resisted the urge to roll his eyes. He knew how much Gabe cared for Sam and must have been freaking out. He was worried about Sam as well.

“Sam, just…take care of my son and take care of yourself. I need you both in one piece. Tell Ben I love him and that I’ll call him later.”

“I will, Dean. You take care of yourself too, and Cas. And Gabe.”

Dean lifted an eyebrow. “Worried about Gabe, huh?”

Gabe’s head shot up and his eyes zeroed in on Dean. “Samsquatch is worried about me? How sweet!”

_Gabe, I’m fine. I swear. Call me when you get a moment away from everyone, especially Dean. I need to talk to you._

Gabe hid the reply from Cas, afraid he might see it. He slipped the phone into his pocket and waited for his opportunity to slip away.

“I’ll talk to you later, bitch.”

“Okay, jerk.”

Dean ended the call and put his phone back into his pocket, turning to Cas and Gabe. Cas was the first to say something. “So, what happened? Are the police going to do anything?”

“There isn’t a whole lot they can do because Sam couldn’t identify whomever it was. He said the guy looked familiar, but he couldn’t place whom it was. I’m going to have Benny stay with them while we’re gone.”

Cas nodded, “That’s a good idea, Dean. If you want to go home to protect your family, I will understand, Dean. Their safety is more important than being here.”

Dean stepped closer to Cas and placed his hands on his shoulders. “Cas, I’m not going anywhere. Yes, there’s a part of me that wants to get on the first flight back and make sure nothing happens to them, but I know that Sam can take care of himself and with Benny there too, Ben will be just fine. I have complete faith that they’re going to be okay while we’re gone. I’m going to stay here and be by your side and be there for you when you need me, okay? You’re important too.”

Cas’ eyes teared up and he smiled softly at Dean. “I really appreciate it, Dean.”

Dean’s smile grew. “Good! Now, I’m going to make a quick call to Benny and fill him in, then we can get back to your family.”

Cas nodded and looked at Gabe. “Did Sam reply?”

Gabe looked back at them from eyeing his escape route. “No, he hasn’t, but I know he’s fine. Dean-o here wouldn’t be still standing here if he wasn’t. He’d be on the next flight back. So, there’s nothing to worry about. I, on the other hand, am worrying about my bladder, so, if you will excuse me, I have to visit the head.”

Dean rolled his eyes as Gabe walked away from them. As soon as he was out of sight, Gabe pulled out his phone and quickly dialed Sam’s number. It rang only twice before Sam picked up. “That didn’t take too long.”

Gabe snorted, continuing down the hallway towards the bathroom. “I made an excuse and got out of there at the first opportunity. What happened, Sam? Are you really okay?”

“Yeah, Gabe, I’m fine, but I’m worried. I didn’t exactly tell Dean everything that happened.”

Gabe’s steps faltered a moment before he caught himself and kept going. “I don’t like it when you keep things from Big Brother. That means it’s really bad.”

“It is bad, Gabe. It’s about my father.”

Gabe stopped dead in his tracks just outside of the bathroom door. “I like that even less. Why the hell didn’t you tell Dean!? That’s big!”

“Because he would get on the next flight home when he really needs to be where he is now. He needs to be there for Cas instead of playing bodyguard for us. Benny and I can manage while Dean’s gone. It’s only for a few more days anyway.”

Gabe had a bad feeling about all of us. “Sam…I don’t like this. It’s going to backfire if you don’t tell Dean everything. He’s going to be so pissed when he finds out you lied to him.”

“I didn’t lie, I just…didn’t tell him everything. It’ll be fine, Gabe.”

Gabe sighed and stepped into the bathroom, locking the door behind him and sat down on the edge of the tub. “Okay, tell me what happened then. Whatever it was that you didn’t tell Dean.”

“Everything happened the way I told Dean, except…before the guy ran off…he looked at me and said, ‘He’s coming. This is your only warning. He’s coming for you and the boy.’”

Gabe’s heart skipped a beat. “He didn’t mention John?”

“No, but who else could he be talking about? It has to be Dad.”

Gabe chewed on his lower lip and looked nervously at the ceiling. “I don’t like this one bit, Sam. I don’t like this at all. I think you need to tell Dean. Please tell me you at least told that to the cops.”

He was met with silence.

“Sam…”

“If I told the cops, they might tell Dean if he calls them to check the story. I couldn’t risk it.”

Gabe squeezed his eyes shut as his heartbeat picked up its pace. “Sam…this is a disaster waiting to happen, you know that, right? Nothing good will come out of you not telling Dean. Your father could very well show up before Dean gets back and, what then? If Dean couldn’t fend him off, what makes you think you can?”

“I’ll have Benny. It’ll be fine.”

“But, Sam, you also have to take into consideration that the last time John was seen, he had two huge goons as personal bodyguards that nearly killed Dean with sheer brutality and for no good reason other than John was drunk and he’s a bastard. Sam…if you get hurt, Dean will blame himself forever. And if something happens to Ben…I don’t even want to know what Dean will do. Nothing can happen to either of you or else Dean may very well go off the deep end, and you know that.”

Sam sighed. “I know, but his place isn’t here right now. His place is at Cas’ side where he’s needed.”

Gabe rubbed a hand down his face. “Fine…if you’re not going to tell Dean, then at least have more than just Benny staying at the house. Have Jo stay there too. Maybe even Bobby or Ash. Or both. I really don’t care, but have as many people as possible there, that way there’s less of a chance of an attack. And even if there is an attack, there is more chance of it going in our favor than theirs.”

“That’s actually a good idea. I’ll call Jo and talk to her about it.”

Gabe stayed silent for a long moment before opening his mouth again. “When the truth finally does come out, I had nothing to do with this. I had no idea of your crazy plan. We did not have this conversation. Dean is going to go ballistic and I do not want to be at the receiving end of it. I like my job. I need my job. I want to stay at my job.”

Sam’s voice softened. “Don’t worry, Gabe. I’d never throw you under the bus like that. When Dean does find out, it will all be on me. He won’t know you had anything to do with it.”

“And really, I don’t. I just know about it. I had no part in the scheme except increasing the number of bodyguards, so really, he can’t get mad at me. Well, other than the part about me knowing about it and not telling him when I’m with him for the next few days…That part he’d get mad about.”

**SPN**

Dean and Cas walked back over to the group and sat down. Linette looked up and smiled at them. “I hope everything is okay back home?”

Dean smiled tensely. “Um, not exactly, but it could be worse.”

Her brow furrowed. “If you don’t mind me asking, what happened?”

Cas looked at Dean and nodded, telling him it was up to him if he wanted to divulge the information.

Dean cleared his throat. “That was my son calling to tell me that my little brother had been attacked this morning. They’re both fine, no serious injuries, but it still makes me worry with me not there.”

Linette’s eyes widened a fraction. “I’m glad they are okay, Dean, but I didn’t know you had a son. What’s his name?”

Dean smiled faintly. “His name’s Ben. He’s fifteen.”

Michael was watching Dean carefully. “If you’re gay, then how do you have a son?”

Cas tensed, not liking how the conversation was turning. He had a bad feeling.

Dean shifted uncomfortably. “I’m, uh, technically bi, I guess you could say. He’s my adopted son, well, soon to be adopted. His mother and I were together for a long time until about a year ago. We, uh, sort of had a falling out.”

Michael raised an eyebrow. “If he is not yours and you are no longer with his mother, then how is it that he is to be adopted by you?

Cas was getting really uneasy. “Michael, it is not important how he came to live with Dean. It is only important that he is happy and has someone who loves him to take care of him.”

Michael nodded, “That’s all very well and good, but I just wanted to get to know Dean a little better. Is that not why you brought him with you? So that he could meet the family and get to know us? Well, I want to get to know him as well.”

Cas nodded stiffly. “I am glad that you are taking an interest in him and getting to know him, but there are some details that should remain private.”

Michael leaned forward, placing his elbows on his knees and making eye contact with Dean. “Why did you come all this way just to keep secrets? I’m sure you care a lot for Castiel, but why would you keep things like having a son from his family? If you two are serious about this… _relationship…_ then we have a right to know what our brother is getting himself into.”

Dean felt some anger stirring in the pit of his stomach. “I’m not keeping any secrets from anyone. And yes, I do care a lot about him. I wasn’t keeping my son a secret.”

Balthazar nodded. “He’s telling the truth, Michael. Anna and myself already knew about his son. He wasn’t a secret.”

Michael glared at Balthazar. “So, then if you two knew, why didn’t the rest of us? Hm? Why not share with the whole family?”

“How is it that important to know that he has a son? You don’t like him and you don’t like the fact that he’s with our brother. So, why do you want to know everything about him?”

Michael ignored him, turning back to Dean. “What is it you have to hide, Dean Winchester?”

Dean’s brow furrowed. “I’m not hiding anything!”

Michael’s glare intensified. “Oh, I think you are. How else is it that you happened to come into Castiel’s life? How is it that you got so close to him for him to bring you across the country to meet us? How is it that we didn’t know you had a son? Or, more importantly, how is it that you even have a son if he isn’t even yours?”

Dean’s anger was building. Gabe chose that moment to step back out onto the deck after having ended his phone conversation. “I don’t see how any of this is so important to you. You’re just looking for ways to turn everything into a negative situation. If you must know, I met Cas because he became friends with my little brother since he goes to the same university that Cas works at, and I hired Gabe to work at the bar that I own. It just happened that we met. We got close because he’s a great guy and we hit it off.”

“Mm, that’s all very well and good, but I want to know more about your son.”

Michael could tell he kept hitting a nerve whenever he would mention Dean’s son, so he kept hitting it.

“Why? So you can interrogate me more? Learn more that you can hold against me or take out on Cas?”

“I’m not taking anything out on him or holding anything against you. Yet. But how is it, Dean, that you and this woman are no longer in a relationship, but you have her son? A child that doesn’t even belong to you. He has no genetic material in common with you, but here he is living in your home. Why?”

Dean stood, his beer forgotten on the table. “Because his step-father was abusing him while his mother wouldn’t believe him. He came to me for protection and I got the cops involved.”

“Really. So, then where is his mother now? Why didn’t they simply just take the step-father away? Why give him to you?

His anger flared. He was still hurting from her death and this was just driving it in deeper. Cas stood as well. “Michael, that is enough! This is none of your business.”

“No, Cas, if he really wants to know, then fine. For your information, his mother is dead. The police got involved and she freaked out. She was shot by a police officer right in front of me and I couldn’t do a damn thing about it. She died in my arms and left Ben homeless and an orphan. He is my responsibility and he is my son. I don’t care if we’re not related. Blood doesn’t make you family and I couldn’t give a rat’s ass what you think about that. He is my son and that’s that.”

Dean walked away, back into the house. He needed to get far away from Michael quickly before something bad happened like him beating the crap out of him. He knew that wouldn’t go over very well.

It hit both Cas and Gabe just how much blame Dean was still pinning on himself. Cas glared at Michael. “You went way too far, brother. That was none of your business. I don’t care if you are my big brother, there are some things that need to be left alone.”

Linette stood. “I agree with Castiel. That was embarrassing how you attacked him. Something like that is highly personal and it’s something to share with those you trust. You are not one of the people he trusts. There was no reason for you to know that. Now, I’m going to go talk to Dean and try to fix this mess that you’ve created, Michael.”

She moved past the group and into the house. She could hear pacing coming from the living room and made her way in that direction.

She stopped in the doorway to the living room and watched Dean pace for a few moments before stepping into the room and making her presence known. “I’m so sorry about my son, Dean. He had absolutely no right to say some of those things to you or get that information from you. I hope you don’t think we’re all a bunch of nosy busybodies.”

Dean stopped pacing and looked over at her sincere expression. “I know that you aren’t. You’re great, so is Balthazar and Anna. I haven’t really talked to Samandriel, but I bet he’s great too. Now I know where Cas gets it from.”

Linette smiled kindly at him. “I’ve missed out on so much of my son’s life because of his father’s beliefs and now I might lose him again because of those beliefs he instilled in his two oldest sons. It doesn’t seem fair.”

Dean took a deep breath, trying to calm himself. “You’re not going to lose Cas, Linette, not with how accepting you’ve been of everything. It makes him really happy how you’ve been reacting to things and trying to keep the tension down. He was really scared to come back here because he didn’t know what to expect, but you really made an effort to make him feel welcome, as did Balthazar and Anna. He’s not going to forget that. Ever.”

Linette held back tears and step towards him. “Thank you, Dean.”

“For what?”

Her smile widened a fraction. “For being there for him, for coming with him, and for entering our lives. He needs someone like you. I can tell that you are really good for my son. I hope that you stay in his life.”

Dean smiled at her, thinking about Cas. “That’s my plan, Linette. I really care about him. Besides my little brother and my son, he’s the best thing to ever happen to me. He’s helped me through things that I wouldn’t let anyone else help me through because I didn’t want them to see me like that, but he pushed his way through and wouldn’t take no for an answer. I haven’t known him an awful long time, but I want to be in his life for a long time. I hope that he feels the same way.”

“I do.”

They both looked up and saw Cas standing in the doorway with Gabe. He had a loving smile on his face as he stared at Dean.

Dean smiled crookedly at him, trying to hide the small blush that was trying to creep onto his face. “Hey there, Cas.”

Cas stepped into the room and came to stand next to Dean. “Hello, Dean.”

Gabe gestured awkwardly to the deck. “We, uh, didn’t really want to continue standing awkwardly out there with Michael glaring at us and fuming, so we thought we might come join you two in here.”

Linette smiled at him. “Michael will have to get used to fuming if he continues to act the way he’s been acting. I refuse to lose any more time with my son because of Michael and Raphael’s beliefs.”

Cas turned to his mom and smiled at her. “Thank you, Mom. You’re not going to lose any more time with me. You’ve shown that I’m welcome here no matter how they feel about my personal life and that Dean is welcome here as well. That means a lot.”

Linette looked lovingly at her son and his boyfriend. “Both of you will always be welcome here, no matter what anyone else thinks. I adore you both and there will be no judgment passed by me. This is your home too. Both of you.”

Dean shared a look with Cas. They knew that no matter what Michael or Raphael did or said, they would be welcome there.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Tune in next time.


	14. Revelations

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: I do not own SPN.
> 
> A/N: I am so so so so so SO sorry that it has taken me so long to get the next chapter up. There has been a lot going on, but I know that's no excuse. I know this chapter isn't that long...but I wanted to get something up since it's been since January...AGAIN, SO SORRY! I hope you're still with this story and enjoying it. The story won't be too much longer. There's only a few chapters left and I already have it all planned out. So...good luck. It's gonna be brutal. Sorry. Enjoy!

**Chapter 14**

Tuesday was a highly uneventful day. Dean and Cas went with Gabe, Balthazar, Anna, and Samandriel and explored Chicago. Dean had never been there before, so they decided to show him the sights and introduce him to the world famous pizza. Anna said that it was so good that surely death himself would highly enjoy it.

All day they made sure to steer clear of Michael and Raphael. They didn't want any drama.

Late that night, they all said their goodbyes as Dean and Cas went to their room, Gabe went to his room, and the rest of them went home.

Early that next day, Cas woke Dean up. "Dean, we have to get up. I told my mother that we would be at the house early today to help with the funeral arrangements."

Dean grumbled and rolled over onto his stomach. "Do we have to?"

Cas chuckled and sat up. "I'm afraid so. I'm just as reluctant to go near my brothers, but it is something that cannot be avoided."

Dean mumbled something that Cas couldn't quite make out. "What was that, Dean?"

"Nothing. Why don't you go take a shower?"

Cas stretched and stood up. "That was my plan. Will you be able to get yourself up while I am in there?"

Dean forced himself to roll back over onto his back and open his eyes. "There. I'm awake."

Cas chuckled and walked over to the counter. He started the coffee pot and just the smell of brewing coffee was enough to get Dean sitting up and a little more awake. "I will be right back. You can take one after me. Don't drink all the coffee while I'm in the shower, Dean."

Dean tried taming his messy hair. "No promises."

He got up and rifled through his bag, looking for something to wear. He set his clothes to the side and picked up his phone. He unlocked it and opened a new text to Ben.

_Hey kid, I know you're in school, so I better not get a response from you until lunch. Just thought I'd check in and see how things are going. Sorry I didn't call earlier. I just got up. Hope everything's going okay. Call me when you get the chance. Love you, kiddo._

Dean laid back on the bed and waited for the coffee pot to fill. His mind went back over the past few days. He couldn't believe that he owned his own house, he had a great kid, an amazing boyfriend, smart as hell little brother, and an awesome family. He couldn't believe how lucky he was.

His next thoughts were about his dad. He had a lot of pent up anger towards that man. He couldn't count the number of times he'd bailed that man out of trouble and it had come back to bite him in the ass, including the last time when he had almost died.

That man had put him through a lot, a lot more than anyone else knew, including Sammy. He'd never felt comfortable divulging that information with anyone. He figured he should probably tell Cas considering that they were dating and how close they were. He didn't want to keep anything from him. He decided that he was going to tell him everything. He just needed to find the opportunity.

"Something wrong, Dean?" Dean's head snapped up to see Cas watching him carefully.

Dean sat up. "Yeah, uh, I was just thinking about some things. There's something that I need to talk to you about, Cas…it's probably not a good time, but-."

Cas's phone went off. He looked at the screen and saw that it was Balthazar. "I'll let it go to voicemail."

Dean shook his head, standing. "It's okay, Cas. Go ahead and answer it. I need to get in the shower anyway. We can talk later."

Cas looked at him worried. "Are you sure, Dean? I can call him back."

Dean smiled softly at him and pressed his lips to Cas's in a sweet kiss. "It's fine, Cas. I'm going to jump in the shower real quick."

Dean stepped around Cas and grabbed his clothes, walking into the bathroom as Cas answered the phone.

"Hello?"

"Cassie! Good morning. Are you and Dean ready to get going?"

"Dean is just about to get in the shower, so we will be ready shortly. Do you know the plans for today?"

"All I know is that Mom wanted everyone to help out getting things set up for the calling hours and funeral. Which, the calling hours will be tomorrow night."

Cas nodded, already knowing when the calling hours were. "Alright, we will see you soon. Let me know when you are on the way."

"Will do, Cassie. See you soon."

The call ended and Cas put his phone away. There was a knock on the door and Cas figured it was Gabriel. He walked over to the door and opened it. "Cassie! How are you this morning, pal?"

Cas rolled his eyes at Gabe as he walked into the room. "I am fine, Gabriel. How about you?"

Gabe nodded as he sat down on the bed. "Peachy. I just got off the phone with Samsquatch. He said he's getting lonely."

Cas chuckled. "Isn't Sam at school right now?"

Gabe nodded. "Yep. He's been texting me like crazy through his classes. I think I managed to get myself a date for when I get back."

Cas looked over at him from his duffel bag. "I thought you already had a date planned with him."

Gabe shook his head. "No, that was me being confident. That all fell through, but I'm stubborn and he finally gave in. I know he's got the hots for me, so I didn't back down."

Dean stepped out of the bathroom rubbing a towel over his hair. "I really don't want to know what my brother has the hots for."

Gabe looked up and smirked. "Dean-o! There you are! No worries. I'll keep a close eye on your brother."

Dean made a disgusted face and looked away. "I really don't want to know any more. That's enough about Sam."

Gabe rolled his eyes, but chuckled. "So, how is Big Brother this morning? How's Little Man?"

Dean turned around. "Little Man?"

Gabe nodded, pulling out his phone as it started vibrating indicating he had a text. "Yeah. Little Man, as in Benjamin."

Dean rolled his eyes, shoving the clothes he'd been wearing to bed into his bag. "He's fine. He's in school at the moment, so I won't hear from him until later."

Cas's phone went off and he pulled it out to see a text from Balthazar. "Balthazar is on his way. We should head downstairs."

Dean nodded, pulling on his socks and then his boots. "Only if we can stop somewhere for coffee since we didn't get to drink any here. I'm going to need a bucket of the stuff if I'm going to deal with Michael and Raphael today."

**SPN**

Dean walked into the coffee shop they had agreed to stop at in order for them all to survive the day. Cas walked in behind him. "Can you order me a coffee while I go to the bathroom?"

Dean nodded. "Sure thing."

Dean walked up to the counter and ordered coffees for himself, Cas, and Gabe. He pulled his wallet out and paid the barista before stepping off to the side to wait for his order to be ready. He was standing there for only a moment when a man walked up behind him and starting talking in a very low voice.

"Dean Winchester. No, don't turn around. You're wondering who I am and how I know who you are. I'm a friend of your father's, you see. I spotted you in town a few days ago and have been following you, waiting for a chance to speak. This is the first time you've been apart from your friends."

Dean shifted his weight, getting nervous. "Who the hell are you and what do you want?"

"You don't get to know who I am. That part doesn't matter. What matters is that I know where you are and so does your father. He also knows that you're no longer protecting your little brother. I let him know that Sam isn't here with you."

"If you or anyone else so much as look at my little brother, I will rip you apart."

The man chuckled darkly. "That's funny, Dean. It's a little late for that. I'm sure you've already been called and informed of a visit to your bar. That won't be the last visit either, I assure you, but that's neither here nor there. I just wanted to let you know who exactly informed your father of your whereabouts. This person has been reporting your movements since you stepped off the plane. I'm sure it won't surprise you that your boyfriend's big brother has been spying on you and feeding the information to your father."

Dean's heart nearly stopped. He looked towards the bathroom, willing Cas to walk through the door. "What are you talking about?"

"I think you know what I'm talking about. It's quite obvious that he didn't like you from the moment you set foot here, so why should it surprise you that he's been spying on you?"

Dean swallowed hard. "Why are you telling me all of this?"

The man looked around the coffee shop, seemingly casual. "I thought I'd up the game and make things a little more interesting. You've been very boring to follow this week, I'm afraid."

"Where is my father? Is he here?"

He chuckled again. "Why would John be in Chicago? Even if he was in Chicago, I wouldn't tell you that, of course. No, for all you know he could be in California or Texas or, hell, Canada. You'll never know."

Cas walked out of the bathroom and looked around for Dean. He spotted him standing with a man he didn't recognize and immediately saw the tension rolling off of Dean. Cas walked closer to them, trying to catch part of their conversation.

"Be careful, Dean. Things are about to get interesting for you."

Before Dean could say anything, the man turned and walked away. Dean turned in his direction, trying to see what he looked like, but he was wearing a long coat with a hood covering his head.

Cas stepped up next to Dean, watching the man walk away. "Who was that?"

Dean shook his head. "A friend of my father's. He's been following me since I got here."

Cas looked up at Dean. "What did he want?"

"To warn me. My father knows where I am and that Sam is alone, unprotected. He's the one who sent that guy to the bar and attacked my brother. Someone's been spying on me and reporting everything back to my father."

"Who?"

Dean looked down at Cas, a frown on his face. "You're not going to believe what I'm about to say. I'm still not sure I entirely believe it, but it kind of makes sense."

The barista called Dean's name and he stepped over with Cas as they grabbed their coffees. They walked outside towards the car, keeping their voices low. "Who is it, Dean?"

Dean took a breath. "Michael."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'll try to get the next chapter up shortly! Thanks for reading! ^.^ If anyone wants to pm me what they think will be happening next with this new revelation, feel free to! I'll even throw in a character named after the person who gets it the most right, if anyone does. ;) A little hint...nothing good is about to happen. Good luck!


	15. Goodbye's and Tears

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> There are some goodbyes, and a lot of tears. And a cliffhanger.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: I do not own SPN.
> 
> A/N: I am SO sorry it has taken me this long to post this chapter. I got very unmotivated to keep writing for a long time. I haven't been writing at all. It's been very rough the past few months or so, and I deeply apologize.
> 
> I also deeply apologize for what I am about to do...I know I didn't give you guys any warning, that I can remember...but...This is the last chapter of this story. I KNOW! CRAZY! And it's a whopper...Man, it was kind of hard to write the last scene. It packs a punch, let me tell you. The friend that I bounce ideas off of (Abby!) is very upset with me right now and I doubt she's looking forward to reading this because she knows what happens. Anyway...I will let you get to the story now. Good Luck!

Chapter 15

Cas stops dead in his tracks and stares at Dean. "What do you mean?"

Dean turned towards him. "That's what he said. He said that Michael has been spying on me and sending the information back to my dad. I don't know if that's true or not, he never gave me his name or anything, but he did know about the attack on Sam. He knew that Sam is in California and he knew that you are my boyfriend."

Cas just stared at him, not sure what to believe. Dean took a step towards him. "I don't want to believe it either, Cas, but we need to get to the bottom of this. If that guy was full of it, fine. That's great, but if Michael really is spying on me and sending information to my father…that is really dangerous. I can't dismiss what he said on a whim that it might not be true. My brother's life and Ben's life are at stake here. I can't risk that, Cas."

Cas nodded. "We'll talk to him when we get to the house. How would he even know your father or how to get a hold of him? The cops can't even find him."

Dean shook his head, looking away. "I don't know. I don't know how he found out who my father is, how he found him or anything, but we need to talk to him as soon as possible."

Cas nodded and started moving again. "Let's get to the car. I'm sure Gabriel is whining about where his coffee is."

They walked the rest of the way to the car in silence, both sucked into their thoughts. They climbed into the backseat of the car and Dean handed Gabe his coffee.

"Finally! What took you guys so long? Did you start making out in the bathroom or something?"

Dean and Cas shared a quick look that Gabe almost missed. It was a dark look that told Gabe that something bad had happened. Dean looked away and pulled out his phone. "Something like that."

He sent a quick text to Sam telling him to watch his back. He said he'd explain everything later, but he needed to keep his eyes open.

When they got to the house, Cas and Dean got out slowly and stared at the front door. They let the others go ahead while they hung back. "What do we do now?"

Cas took a deep breath and then a long pull from his coffee. "We must go confront Michael and get this over this."

Cas moved toward the house and walked inside, Dean following close behind him. Once the door closed behind them, Michael came around the corner and started towards them from down the hallway. As he draws near, Cas takes a quick breath. "Michael, may we speak to you in the other room?"

Michael nods. "Sure. After you."

They walk into the living room and turn to face Michael. Dean has a feeling Michael already knows what it's about. Cas sets his coffee down on the table. "I have a question for you and I want you to be honest with me. Can you do that?"

Michael nods again. "Of course, you're my brother."

Dean wants to roll his eyes, but he doesn't want to make things worse than they already are about to be.

"Have you been spying on Dean and relaying the information back to his father?"

There was a pause just long enough to mean something. Dean shook his head. "I can't believe it. That son of a bitch was telling the truth."

Cas clenched his hands into fists. "How could you? You're my brother."

"Exactly. I had a responsibility to make sure this scrap of bad news was taken care of and stayed the hell away from you."

Dean stared at him. "Scrap of bad news? What the hell are you talking about? You don't even know me."

Michael smirked. "Are you so sure? Are you willing to bet your relationship on that?"

Cas and Dean shared a look. "This makes no sense. How could you possibly know me? We just met a couple of days ago."

"Oh, I have my ways, I assure you."

Cas blew out a breath in frustration. "Whatever you think you have on Dean, I can assure you that you are wrong. Dean is a good man. A better man than you will ever be."

Michael outright laughed. "Wait until you hear what I have to tell you then. I recall you told us all that Dean here has a son? I'm sure you wouldn't be too keen to let him near the kid if you knew what I know. He's capable of a lot more than you know, Castiel. I can assure you that you want nothing to do with him."

"I don't even care what you think you have on me. What I want to know is how the hell you found my father. How did you even know who he was?"

Michael strolled to the other side of the room and perched himself on the side of the chair. "Oh, I did a background check on you the second I met you. I wanted to know just who was spending so much time with my little brother. I was very disappointed to see the kind of company my brother keeps. It's quite disheartening, really. I thought Mom and Dad had raised you better than that."

Cas flung out his arms. "Would you just stop it! What kind of brother are you? You're supposed to be happy for me, not trying to tear us apart! If you really cared about me at all, you wouldn't have gone behind my back like this and gave information to his father. Do you know how dangerous that man is? Did you know that he sent someone to hurt Dean's younger brother since we've been here? He is not the kind of man you team up with just to break us up. If I were you, I would stay the hell away from him."

Michael shrugged. "I'm not afraid of him. I have a lot of friends in a lot of high places. Enough to keep John Winchester in his place, that's for sure. He can't come anywhere near me. Dean, on the other hand, he can come anywhere near you and your family. From what I've been told, you have no connections. No protection. Nothing. You are nothing."

Cas raised his voice, having had enough. "You do not talk to him that way! He is a guest in this house and he is my boyfriend. So back the fuck off!"

Dean could hear people making their way down the hallway and wanted to get this wrapped up before it got that much worse. "Cas, I'm just going to go. It's obvious he doesn't want me here and it's just causing trouble. I don't want to ruin your father's funeral because of this."

"No, Dean, you are not going anywhere. Michael needs to stop. This is bullshit."

Michael stood from where he was perched, his smirk widening. "What's the matter, Dean? Afraid I'll tell Castiel about the dirt I have on you? I planned on telling him no matter what. In fact, why don't I just tell him now so you know exactly what I have on you?"

Dean rolled his eyes. "You don't have anything on me that Cas doesn't already know. I've told him about my past."

"Oh, I don't think you've told him about this. I don't think you've told anyone, in fact. That one dirty little secret that has just been hiding away inside for most of your life. The thing that has tainted your very existence and made you question certain things about yourself your entire life."

Dean froze. He couldn't know about that. How could he know? He had never told a soul. The only way for him to know that is if his father had told him, and why would he do that? That would be incriminating himself.

Cas had opened his mouth to tell Michael off, but noticed the way Dean froze. He turned hallway toward him. "Dean? What's he talking about?"

Dean shook his head. "No. You can't…There's no way…"

Michael's smirk turned into a full-blown grin. "Oh, but I do. He told me. I'm not entirely sure why, but he did. He said he was positive you would never tell anyone, so there's no way Castiel here would already know."

Dean kept shaking his head slowly. He could see Gabe and Balthazar standing in the doorway. He could feel his world starting to crumble. He knew that any moment Michael was going to tell them all about what had happened. Cas would never look at him the same way ever again.

Cas reached out and rested his hand on Dean's arm. "Dean, what is he talking about?"

All he could make out was a murmur, "Was going to tell you…"

Michael chuckled darkly. "No, you weren't. You're a coward, Dean. You don't want anyone to know your deep dark secret. If anyone knew, you would never be able to keep Ben and you know it. Especially given he's not really your son. He would be placed in the foster system and you would never see him again if the authorities found out this little tid bit of information. You're unsafe to be around him."

Dean shook his head. "I'm not. I would never hurt Ben. I could never hurt him."

"That's what you say now. But there will be a night when you get angry and sick of it all. Maybe you'll take after your old man and lose yourself in a bottle. That's when it'll happen. You'll lose your rationalizations and it'll happen."

"Damn it, Michael, just stop! Whatever it is that you're talking about, just stop. It's in the past. Leave it there."

Dean closed his eyes, knowing it was coming.

"You see, Castiel…you may not want to be with him anymore. His father not only abused him his entire life, he also sexually abused him. He's damaged goods, brother. He has been violated and is unclean. He's unworthy of love. He always has been, in fact. He was too much of a coward to stop his father from violating him. He wasn't strong enough. He was weak. He still is. This man is an abomination and should never be allowed around children. He'll just continue the pattern and do to Ben what he was taught. He will only cause pain, Castiel."

Cas just stood there staring at Michael for a long minute. His mouth was hanging slightly open. His mind was blank. What was he supposed to think of all that?

The room was silent. No one knew what to say. Dean looked at Cas. His eyes pleading. "That's what I was going to tell you this morning in our room. I didn't have the time."

Cas looked up at him, his eyes confused. His mouth opened to say something, but nothing came out.

Dean bit his lip. "Cas…man, you have to say something."

Michael took a step towards him. "Dean, I believe you should leave now and stop contaminating this house and this family. You no longer have a place here."

Dean as starting into Cas's eyes. "Cas…you know I would never do anything to Ben. You know that. You know how much that kid means to me. Please…"

Cas shook his head. "I…"

Dean swallowed and looked away. "I get it. It's too much. I had enough baggage as it was when I came back from the hospital. Too much to handle, right? That's fine. Story of my life. I'm sorry I intruded on your gathering. I'll be sure to give anything I have of yours to Gabe. That is if he still works at the bar. I'm sure you won't want me around him either. And in that case, you won't want him around Sam either. I understand."

Cas shook his head again. This wasn't happening. "Dean…"

Dean was shaking his head, heading towards the door. "Don't bother, Cas. I understand. You don't think it's the first time I've been rejected because too much shit has happened in my past? Because I have too much baggage? Why do you think Lisa and I argued so damn much? Why do you think I was perfectly fine not getting into another relationship for a long time after her? Because I knew it was going to happen all over again. I would meet someone, fall in love, and then it'd be over and they'd be gone. Just another bag to add to the pile, right?"

He opened the front door and let it slam behind him. He pulled out his phone and made a call to the airport. He rescheduled his ticket to fly back home and then calls for a taxi. He goes back to the hotel and packs up all his stuff. Before he leaves, he grabs a notepad and a pen.

SPN

Cas stares at the closed door after it's slammed shut. Slowly, he comes out of his shock. He turns to look at Michael and explodes. "What the fucking hell is wrong with you?! How the hell could you do that?!"

Michael holds up his hands and takes a step back. "Whoah there, Castiel. This is quite unnecessary."

"Unnecessary?! You just revealed a huge traumatic incident to the whole room, if not the entire house with no regard as to how that would affect him or our relationship. That was beyond disrespectful and so low that I can't even put into words how disgusted I am with you. That was a private matter. That was something that he had every right to keep to himself and tell me when he was ready to, if he was ready to. In fact, he tried telling me this morning, but Balthazar called right when he started to. He wasn't trying to hide that from me. And even if he was…that is his business. It is none of yours. You had absolutely no right to say any of those things. And as for Ben, he is perfectly safe with Dean. I don't give a shit what happened in his past. There is no way he would ever hurt Ben. It doesn't matter that Ben isn't technically his son. He is. In every way that matters, Ben is Dean's son. So, you will back the fuck off and stay out of my life, do you understand me?"

Michael just stood there staring at his little brother. "I'm only trying to help."

"Well, I don't want your help. Ever. I don't ever want to see you again, do you hear me? You're toxic."

He turned to Balthazar. "Can you give me a ride? He's probably already called a taxi and is on his way to the hotel."

Balthazar nodded. "Of course. You need to go after him."

As Cas was walking by, he stopped and turned to look at Gabe. "I know that was a lot to take in. I'm still processing, but I hope that you don't let it affect your relationship with him. He needs all the friends he can get. And even if he denies it, I know that he enjoys having you around."

Gabe nodded. "I would never hold that against him. Dean's a great guy. I don't care what his father did to him as a kid. That's Dean's business, not mine."

Cas nodded and followed Balthazar out the door. They drove in silence to the hotel. When the pulled into the parking lot, Cas looked at him. "Thank you, for the ride."

Balthazar turned to him with a serious look. "I want you to know, Cassie, that I support whatever you do. I support you being with Dean no matter what. I like him and I know how much you like him, maybe even love. Now you go get him and make sure he knows that he is always welcome in this family. I don't give a rat's ass about Michael. Dean is family."

Cas smiled faintly and nodded. He rushed through the hotel and up to their room. He hoped to hell that he wasn't too late. He didn't care if he looked like a mad man as he ran through the hallway and slammed his key into the door. He froze in the doorway when he saw that Dean's bag was gone and there was a note laying on the bed. He was gone. Cas hadn't made it in time.

He walked over slowly and picked up the note.

Cas,

I'm sorry for all the trouble that I've caused. I shouldn't have come. I've just made things worse. I really was going to tell you. It's not something that I like to talk about. My father has done many things to me in the past and you know how much I hate talking about any of it. I should have told you sooner. It wasn't right for you to find out that way. I understand that it's too much for you to handle. I get it. It's a lot to take in. I rescheduled my flight and am on my way home. I won't bother you anymore, you don't have to worry. I'm sorry to have inconvenienced your family and put stress on them at such a horrible time. Please give them my apologies. For what it's worth…I fell for you, hard. I've never felt this way about someone before and I hope that you find a way to be happy. I'll see you around, Cas.

Dean

Cas's hands shook as tears leaked from his eyes and slid down his cheeks. Dean was gone. He was getting on a plane and he was too late to stop him. There was no way he would make it to the airport in time. And even if he could…what would he say to him? It was over.

SPN

Dean stepped off the plane and walked into the airport. He hadn't let Sam know he was coming back early, so he would have to catch a taxi home. He grabbed his bags from the baggage area and left. There was one taxi left and he slid in the back. He gave the man his address and sat back, closing his eyes. He couldn't believe what had happened.

After a few minutes, he opened his eyes and stared out the window. As they were nearing his house, he spotted the impala driving towards them. His first thought was that Sam was on his way to the bar or to get supper. As it got closer, he saw that it wasn't Sam who was driving. It was his father.

He watched John as they passed him. There was nothing he could do. He saw there was someone else in the car, but he couldn't tell who it was. The taxi pulled up in front of his house, so he paid the man and got out. He ran into the house and found Sam pacing the living room with a phone pressed to his ear. When he heard the door open, he turned. The surprise was clear on his face. "Dean? What the hell are you doing here?"

Dean shook his head. "That doesn't matter. Where's Ben?"

Sam shook his head. "I don't know. I've been trying to call him and his coach. He was supposed to be dropped off about forty-five minutes ago from practice.

Dean's heart sank. "Dad has him. That's who was in the car."

Sam shook his head. "What are you talking about? Why would Dad have him?"

"I just saw the impala drive by when the taxi was dropping me off. I saw someone else in the car, but I couldn't tell who it was. Sam…he has him. He's going to hurt him."

Dean pulled out his phone and called Detective Lance. The phone rang three times before it picked up. "Detective Lance."

"Detective, this is Dean Winchester. It's an emergency. My father kidnapped Ben and he's going to hurt him. He stole my car. You have to find them."

"Whoah, slow down. Your father kidnapped Ben? How do you know?"

"My father is a crazy son of a bitch, and I mean that literally. He's insane. He's been in and out of jail for years and used to beat the shit out of me growing up. He threatened me and my family recently and another man came up to me while I was in Chicago earlier this morning and warned me something was going to happen. I saw him driving by with my car and someone else was with him. You have to find him before he does something to Ben."

"I'll send out an APB on the impala. I'll get everyone on it immediately. In the meantime, I'm on my way over now. My partner is starting a background on your father. I'll see you soon."'

Dean hung up the phone and slid it into his pocket. He wanted more than anything to call Cas, but that was no longer an option. He assumed that Cas had already gone back to the hotel and seen the note he'd left. Dean hadn't gotten any calls or texts from Cas. To him, that meant it really was over. All he had left was his brother.

He set his bag down by the couch and started pacing. Sam watched him for a moment. "Dean, what happened in Chicago? What aren't you saying? And where's Cas?"

Dean paused and looked away from Sam. "We're no longer together. Things got pretty bad thanks to his brother, Michael. It turns out he was spying on me while I was there. He was reporting everything back to Dad. He even dug up some dirt on me that Cas didn't know. And then he told Cas in front of most of his family. Cas didn't say a damn thing. All he did was stare at me. He didn't come after me when I left and he hasn't tried to get ahold of me since. So, it's obvious we didn't have what I thought we did. He's back in Chicago with his family."

"You should call him."

Dean looked up at him. Sam could see the pain in his eyes. "No. I don't need him. There's nothing he could do even if he was here and we were still together. There's no point. I've caused him enough pain."

"But, Dean-."

"No, Sam. Just drop it. What's done is done. He's made his opinion pretty clear."

Dean turned and took his bag to his room. He was internally freaking out. Ben was gone. His father had taken him. What the hell was he going to do? How was he going to get him back?

 

Sam pulled his phone from his pocket and dialed Gabe's phone. It wrong once before it picked up. "Sammy! I'm guessing Dean just got back?"

"Yeah. He refused to tell me what happened, but that's not why I'm calling. You and Cas need to get back here now."

There was a short pause and then Sam could hear the worry in his voice. "Why? What's going on?"

"Are you with Cas right now?"

"Yeah, he's right here. Distraught over Dean, but still hanging in there."

"Well, you both need to get on the next flight back. My dad is in town. And that's not even the worst part."

"What?! He's in town?! But…wait, that's not the worst part? What else is there?"

"He kidnapped Ben."

Sam could practically hear the thoughts turning in Gabe's head. "We'll be there as soon as we can"

The phone hung up and Sam looked around the empty living room. How were they going to get through this if something happened to Ben? It would eat Dean alive until there was nothing left of him. They had to get him back and fast.

 

It didn't take very long for Detective Lance to get there. Pretty soon their house was crawling with police officers. They were looking for a recent photo of Ben, asking what he was wearing when he was abducted, if he was allergic to anything or needed any medication; the standard questions that you ask when someone has been kidnapped, especially a child.

Dean called Ben's coach repeatedly until he finally picked up. All he knew was that Ben saw the impala pull up and thought that it was Sam coming to pick him up for some reason. He's seen him get in the car with no problems and then the car left. He hadn't been able to see who was in the driver's seat, but he thought it was Sam as well.

Dean took turns between pacing the house and sitting on the couch with his head in his hands. This could not be happening. First, he lost Cas over something really stupid and now he lost Ben because of his father. There was no way he was going to survive this if Ben never came back. He would do anything in his power to get him back.

Detective Lance told him that it might be hours or days before they found anything out. He had every cop in the county running down leads, but so far nothing was coming up. The impala was found abandoned on a deserted back road. Lance was convinced that had been part of the plan. Get the impala to lure Ben to the car, drive it out of town, ditch it, and get into a car he'd stashed out of sight that no one would be looking for. There were no reported missing vehicles yet, so they didn't know if it had been stolen or if he had already had the car.

There were just not that many leads to track down. They had sent Ben's picture to every city within a hundred miles in case they stopped anywhere or were spotted. The police were distributing the picture to gas stations and stores. It was a waiting game.

Dean kept his phone within sight at all times. He had a feeling that John would call to taunt him. He wouldn't have taken Ben without having some kind of plan to hurt him. The whole reason he took him was to hurt him, but it there was no way he wasn't going to have some fun with it. He was going to dangle Ben in front of him to hurt him.

Dean had no idea that Sam had called Gabe. He wasn't even thinking about that. His thoughts were on Ben and what might be happening to him. Every scenario was playing through his mind. He was terrified that something bad was going to happen to him.

Detective Lance and Sam were in the kitchen talking about Ben when Dean's phone started to ring. He froze and watched the screen light up. He was receiving a call from an unknown number. "Sam! Detective!"

They came running into the room and Detective Lance sat down next to Dean. "Okay, we're going to attempt to trace the call, so try to keep him talking as long as you can. Just try to remain calm."

Dean took a breath and then answered the phone. "Hello?"

"Dean. I assume by now you've noticed I've been to see you."

"Why? Why did you take him?"

"I thought that was obvious, Dean. I wanted to get back at you. I wanted to hurt you. You deserve it, you little shit. You don't deserve to have a son. You never did and you never will. The kid is better off with me anyway."

"No, he's not. Where is he? Where did you take him?"

"Like I would really tell you. You should know better than that. I know that the police are probably running a trace on this call, so I'll make it short and get to the point. If you really want to see Ben again, you will come to the old factory on the outside of town. And don't even think about bringing Sam or the cops. If you do, if I see anyone or anything out of place…Ben will be dead before you can do anything about it. One hour, Dean. I'll see you then."

The call ended and Dean's heart just dropped. He looked up at Detective Lance. "Did you get the trace?"

He shook his head. "We almost had it, but it ended too soon. We narrowed it down to the city, but that's it. He was bouncing the signal around to different towers. What did he say?"

"He said that if I want to see Ben again, I have to go to the old factor outside of town in an hour. I have to go alone. He said that if he sees anyone or anything out of place, he'll kill him. He'll kill Ben to get his way and to hurt me. I know he'll do it."

Lance nodded, thinking through the situation. "Okay. We're going to plant a wire on you where he can't see it. Along with a GPS locator. You'll show up and get Ben. Just do what he says. We'll have people standing by to move in if things get sticky."

Dean put his head in his hands. Sam sat down on the other side of him. "Dean…we'll get him back. I don't think Dad will hurt him just to hurt him. He wants something. If he gets it, Ben will be fine."

"He wants me."

Sam shook his head. "You don't know that."

"Yes, I do, Sam. That's what he's always wanted. He's always wanted to control me and beat me down. He's always wanted to hurt me. And now he has my son and he will hurt him if I don't play his game."

Forty-five minutes went by fast. The entire time, Sam was checking his phone to see if Cas and Gabe were on their way from the airport yet while trying to keep Dean calm and reassure him that everything would be okay. He had a sinking feeling that something bad was about to happen, but he tried to squash it down and overlook it.

Dean stood from the couch and slipped his phone into his pocket. He looked at Sam for a long moment before pulling him in for a hug. "I love you, Sammy. If…If something happens, you take care of him, you hear me? You take care of him. And…tell Cas that I'm sorry it ended the way it did. Tell him…tell him I love him."

Sam bit his lip. "You can tell him yourself when you get back. And you'll be able to take care of Ben yourself."

"Sammy, just…just promise me."

Sam swallowed a hard lump in his throat. "Okay. Okay, I promise. I love you too, Dean. You better come back or I'll kick your ass."

Dean pulled back with an attempted smile on his face. "You wish."

Detective Lance strapped the wire to him and covered it up, giving him a last minute pep talk. Dean walked to the door and looked back at his little brother. "See you later, Sammy."

He left and the door closed behind him. Sam sunk into the couch and closed his eyes. He knew.

It wasn't fifteen minutes later when the front door burst open. Cas came running into the room followed by Gabe. "Where is he? Where's Dean? Did you find Ben?"

Sam stood and walked over to them. "No. Dean left fifteen minutes ago. Dad called. He told Dean to meet him on the edge of town at an old factory. He'd get Ben back then. Dean…he thinks he's not coming back though. He thinks Dad just wants him."

Cas closed his eyes and leaned against the wall. Dean was gone. He'd missed him by fifteen minutes. What if he never saw Dean again? What if he never got to tell him that he loved him too? Dean would be gone without knowing…

Cas sat down on the couch and put his head in his hands. Sam and Gabe walked into the kitchen to give him some privacy. Gabe wrapped his arms around Sam and Sam leaned into the embrace.

"How are you doing, Sam?"

"Not too good. I had to put on a brave face for Dean's sake, but ever since he left…I have this really bad feeling, Gabe. Something's going to happen, I just know it. I can't shake the feeling that something's just not right."

Gabe took a deep breath and they stood in silence for a long time. Cas had stayed right where he'd sat down. He hadn't moved. He kept praying for Dean to come home okay, for Ben to be okay. He just wanted their family back. He wanted things to go back to normal. He wanted Dean to come walking through that door and smile when he saw him, surprised to see him. He wanted to kiss him and hold him, tell him how sorry he was for everything. He wanted to make it up to Dean for not saying anything. He'd just been so shocked. He couldn't believe he hadn't come to Dean's rescue.

The door opened and Cas jumped to his feet, praying it was Dean and Ben. A police officer walked through the door and then stepped aside. Ben was standing in the doorway, but instead of being happy to be home, instead of Dean walking in behind him, there were tears streaming down Ben's face. Something had happened. Dean wasn't behind him. Dean wasn't there.

"Cas…It's Dad…He's gone…John has him and he's going to kill him. He's not coming back…He's not coming home."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I AM SO SORRY! Well, kind of.
> 
> Okay, so here's the thing. Yes, I left it at a cliffhanger. Yes, that was seriously the last chapter in this story. No, I will not be added anymore chapters. BUT.
> 
> If I get enough reviews telling me they want it, I will start a sequel story. I already have the notes and ideas for it written down. The reason the story ended the way it did, was to create an opening for a sequel. SO...if you guys want one, you will get one! LET ME KNOW!
> 
> I would LOVE reviews from you guys telling me what you think. Can't wait to hear from you!


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